


The Swan Rising: Part I

by Eleni_3020, Xennial



Category: X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Character(s) of Color, Environmentalism, Epic Friendship, Epic Love, F/F, F/M, Female Character of Color, Future Fic, Gay Male Character, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Character of Color, Lesbian Character, Love Triangles, M/M, Male Character of Color, Original Character(s), Original Character-centric, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2020-11-27 07:14:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 37
Words: 305,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20944409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eleni_3020/pseuds/Eleni_3020, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xennial/pseuds/Xennial
Summary: 30201,000 years ago, disaster engineered by humans destroyed the environment, and now the remaining populations inhabit sealed biospheres, and live a shadow of the life their ancestors once knew.Mutants and non-mutants are deeply divided and, for the majority of the population, self-segregated, but legacies of bitterness and fear remain, and animosity simmers just below the surface.Into a time of fragile stability, enter three lives who will test whether this world on the precipice will survive.NOT GRAPHIC. Attempted rape occurs as a plot point, but is not a driving factor in the story. Occasional strong language.This story is the first in a series of 4, collectively called "The Legacy Quartet."Updates currently posted every other Sunday.





	1. PROLOGUE

**CITADEL 3020.04.16**

**KURT**

A lone man stood on a high wall, and gazed out into the distance. Beyond the Veil, he could see the Wastelands: a barren, arid desert that offered no succor to the humans who desperately clung to survival within its dusty embrace. It was fitting, he felt. Cold of him perhaps, but it was those same humans who had destroyed this planet with their greed, ruthless ambition and in the end wanton self-destruction. The old metaphor fit perfectly; they had made their bed, now they had no choice but to sleep in it. Or try to survive in this case.

Steeped in his bitter thoughts, he shifted his gaze down to the massive train yard that spread out before him. It was as ugly as the Wasteland beyond it. Miles of grey-green tracks, all non-magnetic metal, set into concrete. Passenger trolleys, freight trains, platform trains stood atop them at intervals, waiting to be put back into use. A trolley entered the yard from the left, winding lazily into its place to rest until morning. It was very late. Not much longer now.

The man took a deep breath, eyeing the train he himself had left not so long ago. It stood on the outer edge of the tracks, near the Veil, ready to leave for the Wastelands beyond. Most of the beds were piled high with the waste that could not be recycled any other way, set to be sent out, dumped and burned at a sufficiently distant location. The train functioned automatically, and performed its task every night. 

He wondered about its precious cargo. He had done what he could for her, even knowing it might be for naught. They weren’t sure whether the gifts they left on these trains were recovered before being dumped. There was some vague evidence from the distant past that they were, but no conclusive proof. They had nothing to go on but faith. 

“When the sun rises at midnight, salvation is at hand,” he murmured in her memory, hoping for a miracle that would save her.

Then he closed his eyes and whispered an ancient prayer. His ancestor had found solace in faith, a faith of compassion, and he himself had sought the same. He had even adopted the man’s last name, which his family had hidden for generations. It had been an act of youthful defiance, foolish perhaps, but thankfully no one had ever noticed. That name was lost to history now. Except that it lived again in him.

Down below, the train lurched into motion. The man’s heart jumped in his chest. Hope, it was a dangerous emotion to feel, but he had given up trying to suppress it long ago. He whispered one more prayer, before turning away. No matter what happened, at least she was free now. No such solace for him, not yet. 

Setting his shoulders, Kurt Wagner, human descendant of the ancient teleporter, returned to the life he had no choice but to keep on living.

**ROBERT**

The stately man with black hair, just starting to show grey at the sides, wearily rested his head on the door to his penthouse before entering. What a horrific day. What a horrific week. For a moment, he longed to get away from it all.

Sighing, he pushed the useless feeling aside a he pushed into the apartments beyond the door. There was nowhere else to go. 

Since the late afternoon, he had been consumed with hunting down individuals, getting their stories, and then doing everything in his power to make sure those stories never made it any further than the interrogation room. In the process, he had also pulled in favors, let slip controversial pieces of information to parties who would be concerned with such, and sowed doubt under the stories of three vile young men who should now be in prison for their actions, not at home with their families. Life was never fair, and this was just one stark example of that fact, no more than that. Or so he tried to tell himself.

The spacious chambers he entered were done in shades of black, red and grey, but none of that was visible in the eerie glow of the time that is no longer late night but not yet early morning. The floor to ceiling windows opening to the right of the entry stood like ghostly sentries. The furniture placed throughout the room were reduced to obstructions, either hidden in shadow or glowing dully from the ambient light.

The man barely noticed his surroundings, however, as his mind refused to let go of the events of the day. The price had been high, but he had prevailed. It should be one of his greatest coups, but he found no pleasure in his ability to keep those two deaths quiet. He acknowledged that all his efforts would have been for naught save that neither the gang nor the attackers had seen a mutant power used. Had they, he would have lost everything. He dwelled on that thought: in the end, and in spite of all his work, he had simply been lucky. It was a terrible kind of luck.  
Stopping, he punched the wall to his left softly in frustration. One couldn’t live on luck, though he had drunk from that well for far too long. If only he had killed her, he thought, all those years ago, and not been tempted by the opportunity she presented. Then, the terrible events of this night and this week past would have been avoided. If only he had killed her.  
But he hadn’t, and now fortune had come to take its due.

He shook his head in sadness, as the burst of anger faded to guilt. Weariness momentarily weakened him and tears began to fill his eyes. 

He pulled out his phone and looked at the last message she had sent to him.

_They know. Find El—_

A message sent in desperation. A message that had started the chaotic turn to his day. A message that had allowed him to forestall complete disaster.

He should have deleted it hours ago, and wasn’t sure why he hadn’t. Foolish hope that he could work some magic trick and fulfill that last request no doubt had something to do with it. The luck had run out by then, however: there was nothing left to find.

His thumb hovered over the delete button, then landed on it for a long moment. The phone buzzed softly, letting him know that the words were gone, and that no trace of them would remain on his phone.

Resolutely wiping his dark brown eyes with a tanned hand he breathed deeply to regain control. He would need it for what he had to do next. There would be time to mourn later.

Committing himself to the task at hand, Robert Kelly strode through his living room, then turning left entered a hallway at the back. At the second door down, he stopped, and braced himself. There would be no games here, no tricks to soften the blow, no half-truths to turn the brutal into the palatable. Only the cold, hard truth.

He knocked, knowing he was likely waking the individual within.

“Dave, I’m coming in. Something’s happened.” As he opened the door a pair of stone-cold grey eyes, far from sleep, found his instantly. The face that held them was as cold and hard as granite in the depth of winter. The son had no words for his father, only his icy fury. For a moment, Robert thought about withholding the devastating news he was about to deliver. 

Then, he took a deep breath, and began.


	2. Chapter 1

**G**

G surveyed his kingdom. Run down and dirty, yes, but it was full of life. He walked through the throng of the Washing Square, savoring it as he always did. 

A fountain stood in the middle of a large paved yard, which was bordered by two-to-four-story stone and brick buildings. The crooked structures stood in varied states of disrepair. Several streets branched off from the square at random angles. Shop awnings arched out from the ground floors of the buildings, beneath which wares from utensils to clothes to books to machine parts were available for purchase. 

Most people came here for the fountain, though. The object itself was surrounded by men and women doing just what the name suggested, washing. Mostly clothes, but sometimes children or even themselves. It was a communal area. A place where people came to chat about their family struggles, the latest UpMountain scandal the tabloids were pushing, or the sorry state of the world in general. G reveled in the mess of life around him.

In that moment of peace, he could almost ignore the grey clothes bodies that frequently appeared at the edge of the courtyard. Or the cluster of young woman, most of whom were clearly pregnant, conversing to his right.

“Hey G,” a voice called out from the crowd, “recruiting again?” G waved dismissively, though he was thankful for the distraction.

“Not today, and definitely not here!” Friendly laughter met his joke.

“Well then, if you have a free moment, come join us for dinner, lil’ gambit. It’s been too long,” crooned the voice of an old woman. 

G recognized Joan with her pointed ears and unnaturally long fingers, and went over to give her a hug, ignoring the hoots of laughter that erupted from her use of the pet name. He was over 6 feet tall now, but when he had come to the Montagne at age 6 the community here had taken him in and given him the name, which had eventually been shortened to lil’ G, then to his present nickname.

“Not today, Grammy J. I am on a mission. Possibly an impossible one, but one that if it works out might just save two lives.” He said the last part theatrically, and the old woman rolled her eyes but smiled.  
“Off you go, then. If there’s one thing this world needs most of all, it is you saving lives.” G grinned and went on his way. 

Several more people called out to him, but he passed by with just a wave. His visits to the fountain were rare now, though he had spent a considerable amount of time here as a student. There were other duties to see to now. Today brought an unusual mission, but one G was finding to be particularly pressing. He hoped it would turn out as he wished.

Reaching the far side of the square, he turned back briefly before entering the dark, narrow street ahead of him, and looked up. Light glinted through the few but massive windows built into the stone of the mountain above to let in a bit of natural light, supplementing the sun lamps that dotted the haphazardly-braced cavern ceiling. Mirrors, specially placed to spread the light throughout the gigantic cavern, glistened. When the sun was out, you could tell, roughly, the time of day by the color of the light from the windows. By the orangish tinge G guessed mid-to-late-afternoon. He didn’t have much time. Hunting down his prey had taken up too much of the day.

Continuing down the street, he walked by two more blocks of buildings, residential this time. Functional and plain, with stone walls and small windows, they rose up four stories on either side. Ropes with laundry drying spanned between the buildings, and there were some people hanging out more, having just returned from the Square. Catcalls and yelled conversations created a soothing cacophony around him. 

G again felt a sense of peace. In spite of the many flaws of this city inside a mountain, it was more or less a place of safety where life could flourish, and he understood the value in that. Further, he took claim of it, caring for it however he could. 

The people UpMountain would probably object to his sense of ownership, but they didn’t care about this place like he did. Obsessed with their own rich lives, perpetually staring at themselves in a mirror they didn’t know was there, few of them would ever understand the true value of the most run-down part of the Montagne. G did, and that was all he needed.

Eyeing the two-story building he was approaching, he slowed. Why was the man coming to a place like this? G didn’t understand it. It made him angry, though he was careful to rein in that emotion. He needed to get the man’s help, not to alienate him further. G wished there was someone else he could turn to, but this man was unusually suited to the task at hand. Determined, G approached the building.

It was decrepit, even by Sewer standards. A dimly glowing sign out front showed a pool table with crossed cues. Inside there were also arcade games, card games and other ways to pass your time without producing anything of value. Not that G didn’t understand the need to blow off steam, but when someone came to a place like this nearly every day for 4 months straight, it did not bode well.

Resigned, the heavyset young man with wooly black hair and deep brown skin stepped inside, and surveyed the occupants of the dim interior. Mostly youths, still in their teenage years, but a few adults were hanging out as well. Several of the occupants looked up, then dismissed him. They thought he had given up on them, that he had stopped coming around asking them to try out his new hangout. They were wrong. He never gave up on anyone once he made a connection. Except, perhaps, the man he had come to find today.

Spotting him was easy. Even in plain clothes and hunched over his card game, he stood out like a peacock among pigeons. He was a tall man, on par with G, when he wasn’t trying to hide it. Warm brown skin, and mid-brown eyes that the girls called creamy, stood above a strong triangular nose and a wide mouth. A mop of disheveled dark brown curls topped off the long slightly-oval shaped face. G snorted in disgust. Everyone said the man was extremely handsome, but G couldn’t see it. Not his type at all.

“Summers!” He bellowed. The tall figure straightened, head snapping up look to the door. Despite G’s tone, he grinned, and came over. He looked cautious, and perhaps a bit guilty. Good. He should feel guilty, not to mention the fact that G could use that to his benefit.

“G! What brings you here?” Really, the man asks him that? G held his eyes. 

“Yeah, I wonder.” He said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, that’s right,” he continued, feigning sudden recall, “sex-addicted friends who seem determined to further degrade themselves. And never visit old friends. You wouldn’t know anyone like that, now, would you, Mattie?” He smiled sweetly, eyebrows raised.

Matthew’s brow darkened, “Look, G, I told you to leave off that stuff. If you didn’t bring it up so much maybe I’d visit more.” He retorted.

“And miss such a juicy opportunity to laude your unexpected gifts? If what they published is true, you may be one of the lucky few with two mutant abilities. And if even only half of it is true, you could be having a far nicer time than hanging out in this place, not to mention with much better-looking company.”

Matthew’s look of anger changed into exasperation, and finally rueful humor. G relaxed a bit. Matthew was acting like himself, not some overstuffed peacock. That was good, too. “Ok, what is it, G? Do you want some advice? I didn’t think you had much interest that way, but I’m happy to help out an old friend.”

G looked speculative, “Well, if you are offering.” He chuckled at the pained look on the tall man’s face. G continued in an arched tone. “You’re right about the not visiting. It’s weighed on my mind greatly I’ll have you know.” Matthew rolled his eyes. “I’ve decided it’s time for you to make it up to me. Come on. I’ll fill you in while we walk.”

Matthew looked reluctantly back at the table where he had been sitting. There had probably been some sort of wager going. Unsympathetically, G grabbed his friend’s arm, for friend he was degraded or not, and dragged him out of the building. Anyway, the last thing this man needed to worry about was losing a bit of credit.

Matthew reluctantly followed, but G didn’t make good on his promise to explain right away. Instead, he took the opportunity to needle his friend a bit and see if he could shed some light on his distressing behavior. 

“Mattie, seriously, what are you doing? I get it, the red-head cheated on you in a big way, you took it hard. Not to mention the reputation you’ve earned on top of that. About that, you sure you haven’t been tested for a second mutant power? I’m asking for the girls, by the way. Hey!” Matthew hand had landed on G’s head, and the man pushed his friend away in annoyance. “No need to get violent there! But, seriously now, this? You’re better than this.” His teasing tone turned disapproving.

“You sound like my father.” Before G could insert his usual colorful exposition about Matthew’s foster father, Matthew held up his hands. “Don’t even get started on him.”

G held back, reluctantly, but didn’t let Matthew off the hook. “Come on, Mattie, talk to me. Something’s eating at you.”

Matthew glanced at him, but didn’t say anything. His eyes were shaded, though, which tweaked G’s memory in an uncomfortable way. Matthew looked away. “I just don’t want to, ok?”

G could fill in what Matthew didn’t say. _‘You wouldn’t understand.’ _

With difficulty, G shook off the feeling that a chasm, perhaps unbridgeable, gaped between him and his childhood best friend. These years living in separate worlds had worn that friendship thin. However, he wasn’t one to give up easily. He focused on his reason for hunting the man down.

“OK, so, here’s the deal.” Matthew looked back at him, skeptical but listening. “There’s this girl.”

The tall man actually turned around and started walking back the way they had come. They had reached the Washing Square, and he almost tripped over someone’s basket in his haste. 

“No, G, whatever you want to imply about me, I’m done with women.”

“Hey, man, one, I don’t imply, I state facts, two, based on those facts I seriously doubt that last bit, and three, it’s not like that at all. In fact, if you even think of doing anything sexy with this girl, I will string you up.”

The crowd around them tittered. Most of them knew G, and he saw that several were starting to recognize Matthew. Ouch. It hurt to be famous sometimes. Matthew stormed back as the speculative conversations picked up around them and, grabbing G’s arm, pulled him to the far side of the square. G knew he was blushing heavily. 

“G, I don’t have a lot of patience for this-“

“You owe me, Summers.” G ignored Matthew’s glare at the sarcasm he placed on the name. “You know it.” G found himself desperate, not a situation he let himself get into often. He opened up. He hoped Matthew would understand. “She reminds me of Tara.”

Matthew didn’t release his grip on G’s arm, but it softened, as did his face. He looked sad. “I miss her, G.”

“Yeah.” Tara had been his sister, three years younger than him, and two years dead. She had been injured the day when Matthew, G and their sisters had been retrieved from the Wasteland. She had never been the same after, although her sweetness had shone through whatever damage had been done. 

He pulled his thoughts back to his companion in the present. He had Matthew’s attention, and didn’t want to lose it. Walking again, he gazed at the Towers as they came into view, and continued.

“She showed up a couple weeks ago. Darts about like a rabbit, and hides like one as well. Her clothes are worn. It’s clear she’s alone. I want to help her, but she runs away whenever we try to approach her. We haven’t tried too hard for fear that she will go somewhere else. Her survival instinct is strong for sure, but it’s keeping her from getting the basics.” 

He looked sideways at his friend, wondering how quickly he would get it. “She doesn’t go the cafeterias, doesn’t sleep in the dormitories,” he paused, “doesn’t go to school.” Matthew gave him an annoyed look at that last comment. It hadn’t been just about the girl. Then the man slowed as understanding dawned. Yes, he got it. Matthew could be a bit dense at times, but he it wasn’t because he lacked intelligence.

“She doesn’t have a pass-card.” He murmured. “But why, they are the easiest thing to get once you are registered. Unless…she’s not registered. That’s odd.” Everyone was registered and assigned a number. G pulled his friend close. 

“Mattie, I think she came from outside. I'm positive of it.” Matthew started.

“That would mean she slipped by the refugee check-in. But how? Why?” 

G had pondered the same questions. The check-in was locked tight. The whole Montagne, a civilization inside a mountain, was sealed tight. It was very difficult to get out. Not that many people tried – no one survived long on the Wastelands that surrounded it. Nonetheless, while that mystery was intriguing, it was not the point he was making or that important in the long run. 

“Yeah, she slipped through. Rare, to be certain, but apparently not impossible. And, by the way, don’t mention that to anyone else.” Matthew nodded, serious. “The thing is, Mattie, that is no way to live. I can help her, but I’ve got to get close to her first.”

“If you haven’t gotten close to her, why does she remind you of Tara? Tara never acted like this.”

“She almost ran into me one day, and I got a good look at her. She looks like Tara. Something in the face.” It was true. The young woman must have only just arrived. She had never made that mistake again. He had been coming around a corner, and suddenly she’d been there springing back at his sudden appearance. For a moment their eyes had met, and then she had turned and darted away. He had seen enough for it to pull at his heart. The girl had been on his mind ever since. “And they must be about the same age. The age Tara would have been.” He tacked the last on sadly.

“OK,” Matthew said slowly, “But what do you want me to do?” He eyed his friend suspiciously. “You know what I won’t do, right?” He looked ready to turn around again.

“I do. And it’s not that.” G asserted quickly. “She dances.” Matthew stopped dead. His eyes went flat.

“I don’t dance anymore.”

“Don’t be so melodramatic, twinkle toes.” G let out, stopping as well and turning back towards his friend. His tone was exasperated. “It’s not just that she dances. She dances like you used to dance. When you were young. After we first came here. You owe me, man.” It didn’t hurt to rub that in a bit. Matthew had been a bit of an asshole, only coming to see G twice since he started slumming in the DownMountain four months ago. Those visits had been perfunctory at best.

Matthew eyed G, his expression unreadable, but he started walking again. G let him think in silence as they approached the Towers. Two buildings, stretching up to 10 stories, they dwarfed all the other buildings in the DownMountain. However, they had never been finished. 

The bottom two stories, where G held his activities, had been mostly completed. But from the third floor up the buildings were near skeletons. Some walls were in place, but openings gaped where windows should have been and the rooms visible through those gaps were bare concrete. Iron girders stuck out in some places and steel rods paraded the tops of walls like some kind of paltry defense. The Tower closer to the mountain wall, they had been built at the very edge of the DownMountain, had some rooms stacked up one atop the other with no way to get to them. A few I-beams perched precariously on half-built concrete walls spanned the distance in places.

It was an eyesore to say the least. The sign of overambition, some said, though G didn’t know the details. No one liked to talk about it, just like they avoided talking about Katya’s Locker, the decrepit nook where non-mutant humans tended to end up. So, G had taken advantage of the neglected building, and made it into something more. Maybe someday he would be able to do the same for Katya’s Locker.  
Matthew and G entered the Tower. Several kids ran past moving from an interior room to the courtyard which stretched out to the left. Matthew started in that direction, but G grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the stairs. When the tall man balked, G stopped to look back. 

“G, I can’t help you with this…whatever it is. So, I can dance. If this girl always runs away, she’s not going to stick around to see me dance. And if she did, what are you expecting? That she’ll be so impressed she’ll start talking to me?”

G gave him a flat look. “My, we do have a fine opinion of ourselves, don’t we?” Hauling Matthew by the arm again, he said, “Just come with me, ok? I won’t force you to do anything but look,” he acceded, “it’s just that…well, you’ll see.”

They ascended the stairwell. This one was completely enclosed in concrete. The kids that came to G’s hangout were forbidden to go above the second floor as the building had a habit of just stopping where you least expected it. Not that they always heeded that rule. G was wholly familiar with the structure, and moved about confidently. 

They climbed five stories, then exited left onto an exposed walkway. Halfway down, the walls began again, with doorways opening out from them at intervals. G took Matthew to the second doorway on the right. 

The room they entered was fairly large, and faced away from the main body of the DownMountain, towards the second tower. Two of G’s friends were sitting in the room, both with a pair of binoculars, and one young man was using his at the moment. Matthew quickly put together what was going on, and protesting loudly, tried to back out of the room.

“G, you say all that shit about me, and you’re doing this? THIS is messed up. No, it’s just wrong. Maybe if you leave the poor girl alone, and don’t stalk her, she’ll be more willing to talk to you. I’m leaving.”

G grabbed a pair of binoculars from the young woman sitting there, and shoved them into Matthews hands. “We’re not always here, but today I needed to know if she left. Just look, ok? Then if you are still not on board, I’ll let you go.” He was so close. He pointed to a room a level down on the far tower. The buildings were separated by about 100 yards, with the courtyard stretching out on the ground in between.  
Exasperated, Matthew put the binoculars to his eyes, but a moment later was pushing them back towards G. “There is a person there dancing. I looked. I’m going.”

“_Really_ look.” G growled. Matthew glared at him. “You owe me.” G repeated to him quietly. Matthew reluctantly put the binoculars back to his eyes, this time focusing in earnest on the room in question.

G watched his friend. The man had no idea what G had gone through to get him here. Finding a day when the girl was there – she disappeared roughly half the time – and he could track Matthew down had not been easy. He surreptitiously crossed his fingers and waited.

The annoyance in Matthew’s posture slowly melted as he watched the distant figure perform. G was no expert – that was partly why he had thought to bring Matthew in, the man knew dancing – but he thought the girl was good. He did know that her dancing was compelling; once you started watching, it was hard to look away. As the minutes ticked by, G knew that Matthew had found the same thing.

Matthew slowly lowered the binoculars still looking at the far building. He almost made as if to bring them up again, but caught himself and slowly turned to look at G, reluctant to take his eyes off the distant figure.

“She’s good.” He said, surprised. He studied G, then shook his head as if in disbelief at what he was saying. “I’ll try, G. I have no idea what I can do, but I will try.”

G felt himself relax. While a part of his mind berated him for getting so caught up in this one girl, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed them. He nodded in appreciation. “That’s all I ask, man.”  
Matthew looked through the binoculars again, and asked. “Is she dancing to music?”

“Nope.” Patches replied before G could do so. 

Tray, sitting beside him, nodded. “All in her head.” She added, a bit dubiously. Tray was skeptical about G’s obsession with the girl, but found it entertaining.

Matthew studied them, then nodded his thanks. He handed the binoculars back to Tray and turned to G. 

“I gotta get going, but I’ll be back tomorrow.” He rolled his eyes up in disbelief at what he was agreeing to do. “I’ll see what I can do.” 

G walked with Matthew back down the stairs. At the bottom, they clasped hands. G held on tight and looked purposefully into his old friend’s eyes. He had given up on this man, but now felt as if him might get him back. Purposely, he spoke.

“Go to the airlocks, man. Go to the airlocks.”

G thought he detected a hint of exasperation in his friend’s eyes, but if he felt it Matthew didn’t say anything. He simply returned G’s gaze, and spoke softly before turning to go.

“Go to the airlocks.”


	3. Chapter 2

**MATTHEW**

Matthew leaned his head back against the window as the train sped towards the UpMountain and the life he led there. “Go to the airlocks.” G was still big on that. Matthew had heard the phrase whispered as a parting greeting throughout the Sewers, and even in other parts of the DownMountain, and had wondered if G had had a hand there. Matthew sighed. He wished his childhood friend wasn’t prone to superstition, but had humored him this time.

This day in the DownMountain had put a lot on his mind: reconnecting with G, having his history with Jenna shoved in his face again, uncomfortable old memories resurfacing. He had woken this morning looking forward to another day of thinking about nothing, and was irritated by G’s interference. He sighed and asked himself again why he had agreed to G’s hairbrained plan. 

Then he thought of the dancer and felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time. He pushed those thoughts aside.

His view through the binoculars hadn’t been great, but it had been enough to understand that she knew what she was doing. A student of ballet since he was small himself, he appreciated other dancers of skill. She hadn’t been doing any leaps, probably because she was dancing on concrete and would risk injury. That hadn’t taken from her performance, which had been compelling in its organic composition and passionate presentation.

It had called to him.

_She dances like you used to dance._

Again uncomfortable, Matthew pulled his mind away from why that might be. His mind sought another topic.

He didn’t like the idea of dancing without music. Music might also help keep the girl from running. He thought he recalled a portable player in a storage closet. He’d ask his father.

It also occurred to him that given his haitus from dancing, maybe he shouldn’t be too ambitious getting back into it. He hadn’t danced in five months. Would that be a problem? After some consideration, he decided it wouldn’t; he’d been dancing since he was six, and had regularly joined pick up sports games in the past few months. His physical fitness was fine. 

As the train pulled into the UpMountain station, he thought of dancing the next day, and found a small smile tugging at his lips.

His good mood faded quickly, as he stepped out onto clean unblemished tiles of the platform at the UpMountain station, so different from the one he had left 20 minutes ago. That had been crumbling and dirty, festooned with grafitti. His moment of peace lost, he once again only wished to escape from the truth about the world he lived in.

Matthew kicked at the ground and gritted his teeth, then proceeded to make his way down the streets that wound through high arched tunnels. Wrapped up in his anger and bitterness, he arrived at home. He thought his mood might just be perfect for the reception that he knew was coming. He went around to the back and entered through the double doors into the casual dining room.

His sister Jae, short for Jalisa, was setting the table. She graced him with the disgusted look that had become customary as he entered, but surprisingly had no choice words for him tonight. Not yet, he thought sourly. 

“Mattie, is that you?” a voice called from the adjacent kitchen. At his affirmative grunt, his father emerged bearing a steaming dish which he set on the table. An inch or so shorter than Matthew, Adam Summers had brown hair, unusually light for his tawny face, and hazel eyes positioned with a slight slant. Also a dancer, his physique was more suited to the art than Matthew’s, which bordered on burly with its wide shoulders. Adam was instead slender, almost slight, although his strength was apparent in the way he moved and his well-muscled body. He gazed levelly at his son.

“How was school?”

Matthew smiled broadly. “Great. I learned a lot today. Those DownMountain teachers are the best.” His father knew very well he hadn’t gone to the school once since transferring.

Jae made a disgusted sound, and Matthew heard her mutter something about a total waste. He shifted his smile to her. 

His sister was tall, like him, and stood almost on par with Adam. Her skin was a lighter shade of brown than Matthew’s, but her eyes were a shade darker and her face was narrower. Her black hair with glints of red she cut short and dyed blond. Currently, it was styled in small spikes across her scalp. She was athletic and participated in many sports although basketball was her favorite, and she was as powerfully muscled as Adam or Matthew. 

“Did you say something, sweet sister? I missed it.”

“Just go back to her already, you fool. You could have a veritable goddess at your side, and instead you hang out with gamblers and gamers. What the hell is wrong with you?”

There it was. Jae was completely indoctrinated into the UpMountain. She would never understand why Matthew wouldn’t go back to his ex-girlfriend. It wasn’t even worth it to try and explain.  
“If you like her so much, why don’t you start dating her? We all know she swings both ways now. Go ahead, be my guest.”

Jae looked down uncomfortably for a moment, then glared at him again. “There isn’t a straight guy, or a gay girl, or anyone in between, in the UpMountain who doesn’t wish they weren’t you. You could get back with her just for the kicks, which you apparently had a lot of, and not have to use your useless brain at all.” Her tone was scornful.

“Jae!” Adam’s voice was sharp. Her comment toed too close to a line that Adam held dearly. A line that he had once crossed and would forever regret. He had been sure to teach his children well so they wouldn’t make the same mistake. It had been an extremely uncomfortable conversation.

Jae did look chastised. They sat, and for a few minutes they focused on their food in silence. Then she started again, a new topic, but as full of scorn and derision at her brother as ever.

“Well, at least one of us is working to uphold the dignity of our family. I’m joining the Cadets.”

“Jae, please, I said we need to talk about that some more…”

Matthew disregarded his father’s entreaty, and slamming his fork down, full out shouted at his sister. “And you think I have problems? Are you crazy? They’re a bunch of stuffed-up sadistics!” The Cadets was the entry-level to the Montagne’s military branch. 

“I’ve decided, Dad.” Jae ignored Matthew’s outburst, “I’m going to sign up tomorrow, and will be starting summer exercises once classes are out for the year. I’m going to restore the honor of this family, if it takes my whole life!” With that, Jae stormed from the table and up the stairs, leaving her dinner half eaten. Her last comment had been directed at both him and his father. Matthew could see the pain on Adam’s face. 

Jae had mixed feeling about Adam, but usually kept them to herself. Matthew’s feelings on the issue were that no matter his past, he had done right by them. The family dinner that had just fallen apart was one example of his commitment to raising them right.

“Ignore her, Dad.” He muttered, turning back to his dinner.

Adam had rested his head in his hands at Jae’s dramatic exit, and stayed that way for a long minute. When he finally raised it, the man looked solemnly at Matthew and asked the last question the young man would have expected.

“Matthew, why _haven’t_ you gone back to Jenna?”

Matthew stared at his father, wondering why today, people just couldn’t mind their own business. His father, in particular, usually kept his distance about such things, which Matthew appreciated, even while he knew his behavior was poor in light of his father’s respect.

He couldn’t answer, though. Like Jae, his father wouldn’t understand, although he might try, which Jae never would. The truth of it was Matthew probably would have gone back to Jenna had it just been a wild fling. It was what he had learned as a result of that fling that kept him away from her and the rest of the UpMountain.

Shoving the memories that thoughts of Jenna brought to mind away, he simply responded. “I just don’t want to, Dad. She’s not the person I thought she was.” And neither am I. He recalled his promise to G, and was thankful for a way to change the subject. “Dad, I think there’s a portable music player in the basement. Could I use that?”

Adam looked nonplussed for a moment at the sudden change in topic. Then he became sad. Matthew winced internally. He should have guessed it was tied to her. He didn’t want to leave his father to face his pain alone, and gave him an opening to talk.

“You used to use it with her, didn’t you?” It wasn’t really a question. Adam, nodded, eyes distant as he remembered a happier time. 

“We used to take it everywhere and put on spur-of-the-moment performances. Madam P berated us for it, telling us it ruined our form. But everyone else loved it. She loved it,” he finished softly. Sighing, Adam shook his head, and focused on Matthew. “Of course, you can use it. Let me make sure it works. I think I still have some of the discs, too.” He looked at Matthew speculatively. “Are you dancing again?”

Matthew just shrugged. “I don’t know. I just thought it might come in handy. Thanks, Dad.” With that, Matthew retreated to his room for the night.

The next morning found him back on the train DownMountain with the portable player. He was dubious that this ploy was going to work, and chided himself for ever agreeing to it, but figured it wouldn’t hurt. If the girl ran off that was that, but he might keep dancing. He found himself nodding at the thought.

When he got to the Towers, G was waiting. “She’s there,” he said, and clapping Matthew on the shoulders, and led him over to base of the second tower, giving him some basic information, not to approach the girl, where she would be in the room, etc. When they arrived at the doorway, he turned to Matthew.

“Thanks for doing this, Mattie. For giving it a try at least.” He eyed his friend. “And I want a promise out of you, no matter what happens today.”

“What is it G?” Matthew replied warily.

“That you’ll come back here tomorrow.” Matthew was surprised and touched. Maybe he’d spent enough time wasting his life. His stomach clenched thinking about what he had to go back to. Maybe not. Then again, he was only promising tomorrow.

“Sure G. I’ll be here.” With that, G instructed him as to the location of the room where the girl was dancing, and let him go.

Matthew mounted the stairs and went up 4 stories. Coming out of the staircase, he turned right and walked out onto a wall-less corridor, similar to the one from yesterday, but longer. At the end of it he slowed and paused. The room started just to his left. There was a doorway a few feet ahead, and he could hear a distant shuffling sound. The girl dancing. 

He knew that once he went in, he would only have a few seconds before she was gone, if she did run. He prepped the music box so it was ready to play at the touch of a button, and double checked that the sound was turned up. 

For a moment he paused, as again the absurdity of the scenario hit him. Trying to get this random girl to stay with what? His dancing? He shook he head. He had agreed. He’d go through with it. He didn’t think this would last long. Taking a deep breath he closed the final distance to the door and entered the room.

“Hi, I’m Matthew. I heard you’ve set-up some kind of ballet clinic here and well I, oh shit!” The last was growled to himself. The girl had started bolting as soon as he spoke. She was fast, and was nearly to the door. Pressing play, he put the music box down by the wall, and moved to the open floor. The song he had cued up was familiar, the choreographed piece of ballet one that he had been doing for years. Once he had enough space for him to move he began to dance. 

It was a complete disaster.

From the beginning, his body didn’t respond as he knew it could. His muscles refused to lift him as high as they should, and he actually began to lose his balance on turns. He avoided jumps and leaps entirely, and not just because he was dancing on concrete. He realized, horrified, that he could easily injure himself in the shape he was in. 

Nonetheless, he pushed on. He knew the choreography perfectly, a small triumph in light of how badly he was botching the steps. He had thought he was still strong, that he couldn’t lose his finesse and skill, but the sharpness of his spins, the lithe balancing, the grace of his promenades was all gone. It was a relief when he came to the end. He balanced between being thankful he was done and humiliation. 

His shock was so deep, he momentarily forgot why he was even there. Belatedly recalling the girl, he surreptitiously glanced across the large room. 

There she was, trying out steps to the next piece that had come on the box. Acting as if he wasn’t there at all, although he was sure she was keeping tabs on him and would bolt if he tried to approach. He didn’t, and instead set to stretching and nursing what he knew would be sore muscles tomorrow. He didn’t dance again that day, but focused on the most basic of drills to rebuild his strength and ability. 

Meanwhile, out of the corner of his eye, he watched the young woman dance. His opinion from the day before was unchanged by what he saw. She was well-taught and skillful. Her dancing was more contained, less raw, than it had been before, probably due to his presence. 

During some of the songs she just played with steps. Other pieces, all ancient scores, she set into choreography with which she was obviously familiar. Matthew guessed that what he had seen yesterday had been a compilation of choregraphed pieces and free form dancing. He found he enjoyed watching her dance.

Sometime in the mid-afternoon, he checked to find her gone. He panicked for a moment, before realizing that there was little he could do about it except come back the next day. 

G met Matthew on the way down, and led him into a large common room where he and his cronies liked to hang out. Matthew noticed one of the young men, one of the two who had been watching the young woman the day before, gave him a disdainful sneer. He had tawny skin, marked by large patches of blue, and strong features topped by thick curly black hair. Matthew looked away, not caring. 

G hadn’t said much to him on the way down, except to comment that it seemed to go well, given that the girl had stayed, and confirm that Matthew would come back tomorrow. Now, however, he smirked a sideways glance at the tall man. 

“Mattie, I don’t mean to be harsh now, but you might want to work on your twirls a bit, or you’re not going to get to be the prince in Swan Lake.” His postured trying to hide his embarrassment for his friend, and the flood gates opened with G’s friends sniggering or all out bursting into laughter. 

“You call yourself a ballet dancer?” The young man who had been glaring at Matthew jeered. “She watched you for a total of one second, and wrote you off.” He hooted with laughter. “G are you sure this guy can help?” 

Other friends of G’s approached giving Matthew ‘friendly’ advice on how he might improve his dancing, like not losing his balance, or asking incredulously if he really was the famous young danseur that all the tabloids had been gushing about last year. A couple days ago, he would have snapped at them and left, but despite his very real embarrassment he found himself shaking his head and laughing at himself.

“Yeah, I was pretty bad. Nearly injured myself. That was probably one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done. I have no idea why you all stuck around to watch! Guess, you all are none too smart neither!” 

They laughed some more at him, claiming it had been just too entertaining, then drifted away reenacting parts that had apparently been particularly memorable. Matthew groaned as he sat down in a chair by the wall and dropped his head in his hands.

“It was pretty bad, man.” G was giggling. “Best entertainment I’ve had in weeks, that. No harm you being taken down a few pegs, my precious peacock.” Matthew growled and swatted at him half-heartedly. Sitting up and thumping his head on the wall behind him, he determinedly changed the subject.

“So, do you think she’ll come back?”

“I’d say if you have that music box of yours, then yes. Otherwise…” He grimaced painfully, and started sniggering again. Calming his mirth, he went on seriously. “That was a good start. I thought we’d lost her for a minute there. She left the room.” Matthew hadn’t realized that. “But the music brought her back. And when she saw you were clearly no, uh, competition,” another snort of laughter, “she came back in.”

Matthew nodded, thoughtfully. “She pretty?” He didn’t know where that had come from. The room they were dancing in was large enough he couldn’t have said.

G glared at him. “I told you, don’t be getting any ideas.” He growled. Matthew held up his hands defensively. 

“It was just a question. She’s an amazing dancer. I was wondering, if I do get through to her, how do you plan to help her? Without a pass card, there’s not much more you can do for her. I mean, if she’s not registered and doesn’t want to be…”

G glanced around before answering, “Mattie, be quiet about that. There’s a couple of the gang that work here who suggested she came from outside, but most think she’s just lost her way in life. It happens pretty frequently in the Sewers, and…the explanation makes things less complicated. I’ve been letting people believe what makes the most sense to them.” Matthew nodded, not really caring. 

G kept his voice quiet as he answered the original question, again glancing around to make sure no one was close. “I still have Tara’s pass card. Never bothered to turn it in, and they’ve gotten lazy about tracking them down. They don’t key the death into those. She can have that. Administration is so lax down here, I’m sure I can get the name changed. No one will ever care, anyway. Especially since she is a mutant.” 

“How do you know that?”

“She’s has occasionally asked people questions before disappearing. They said she spoke perfectly.”

Matthew wrinkled his brow.

“Then, maybe she did grow up here.” He pointed out. G just shook his head, and doubled down on his position.

“I’ve never seen her around, and I pay attention. And…it’s what my gut is telling me.” He slapped his large midsection. “It hasn’t been wrong yet.” Matthew snorted, but accepted his friend's dubious confidence. 

“If you’re right, she has the ability to pick up languages.” He murmured. The language of people coming off the Wasteland and that in the Montagne were cousins – similar grammar and words, but pronunciation differed quite a bit. It wasn’t difficult to learn one language knowing the other, but it did take a bit of time to get fluent. “That makes things a lot easier.”

“But wait to talk to her. Let her get use to you first.” G cautioned.

“Sure. Hey, I should get going. See you tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow.” With a fist bump, this time free of superstitious phrases, Matthew headed back home.

Over the next three weeks, Matthew’s life settled into a pattern, not so different from what it had been before, but decidedly better. He woke, traveled DownMountain, and went up to the 4th floor of the Towers. 

He didn’t dance. Instead, he focused on building back his strength, flexibility and balance. He spent hours rotating through repetitive exercises, scouring his memory for every one he had done over the years. As his strength grew, he attempted some more challenging moves, but still did not dance full pieces. He watched the dancer as well as he could without being obvious. Overall, he was pretty content with how he spent his days. 

The third day he went, the young woman didn’t show. 

“She’s not coming.” Matthew turned to see G coming in through the door closest to him. There were several doors that led out of the room.

“Does she do this a lot?” 

“Every few days. But if she is not here by now, then she won’t be here for the day. That’s her pattern.” Matthew found himself slightly disappointed. “So, you’re mine today.” He looked up at G in surprise.

“What?”

“You’re going to join us downstairs. There are a few kids curious about dance. I might have signed you up to teach a class or two.” Matthew protested that he was no dance teacher, which G ignored as he led them downstairs. 

Matthew had had some idea that G had turned the abandoned Towers into a hangout for youth. That day he learned his friend had done that and far more. 

G had turned the Tower’s into a safe, lively and productive center for kids and young adults. It wasn’t just a spot to pass the time. G had people in to teach the kids whatever they would learn, and not just school subjects, practical subjects as well. Fixing things, how to purify water as the DownMountain water supply was not the most reliable, how to grow plants in pots, and dry and preserve food. There was also some art, music, sports activities and physical fitness. 

Matthew learned that some mutant kids were able to get instruction on their powers, provided G could find a knowledgeable adult with the time. The Montagne made a big deal about the mutant powers UpMountain, and all youth there were given training specific to their abilities, but neglected to provide mutant children DownMountain with the same opportunities. G was filling in those gaps the best that he could.

That day was a Holday, the one day when school was out each week, and the Tower was filled with kids. While he wasn’t comfortable with being a teacher, Matthew did acquiesce to showing the kids who were interested some introductory ballet. The basic positions, plies and pointing their toes. They used a few chairs in place of a barre. The kids were disappointed that they weren’t soaring across the room, so at the end Matthew let them leap and spin as they pleased to the music on his device.

“Thanks for doing that, Mattie.” The two ‘classes’ had ended, and Matthew was hanging out with G and a couple of his cohorts. He recognized Tray, with her short-cut black hair and tan skin, from the first day G had brought him, and had just met Bright. Bright was a shy non-binary who was almost finished with school and only came in the afternoons and on Holdays. Their round figure gave their face a charmingly cherubic look, and they had deep brown skin, and wooly black hair pulled into tight braids. Tray had completed school with G a year earlier. Their work at the Towers kept them from being roped into long hours at the production units.

“I just hope I didn’t teach them too many bad habits.” He eyed Bright and Tray curiously, and felt them watching him as well. They would know a fair amount about him, but he knew next to nothing about them. No one offered to fill in the gaps. “This place is impressive, G.” His large friend waved off the compliment.

“Just pulling together people with too much time on their hands.” He gave Matthew a pointed look which Matthew ignored.

The young man with the spots on his skin came over. Again, he gave Matthew a look of unwelcome.

“What’s up, Patches?” G asked.

“Some kids want a pick-up game of football. We need two more people.” He eyed Matthew, a challenge in his eyes, but G redirected his interest.

“Tray and Bright here appear to have nothing to do.” Tray was game but Bright objected.

“I just finished tutoring math. It’s my break!”

“I need to have a heart to heart with Mattie here. Out.” G’s order brooked no resistance, and Bright reluctantly heaved their self from the large blocks they had been using as a seat. Once the two had left, Matthew looked at G curiously.

“Mattie, what are you doing staring at them like that?”

“What? I’ve just met them. I was just trying to get a sense for who they are and…what they can do.”

“You’re trying to figure out their mutant abilities.” Matthew opened his mouth to object, but then thought better about lying.

“Maybe. UpMountain, everything is out in the open if you care to know.” He felt himself getting defensive. It made him uncomfortable not knowing what they could do.

“Yeah, we all know that,” G said dismissively. “You know, they don’t necessarily have mutant abilities.” Matthew looked at G in surprise to find the man watching him closely. “Don’t like that, do you?” Matthew blinked. It did make him uncomfortable. More uncomfortable than not knowing their mutant abilities. G shook his head. “They really got to you. We didn’t always used to think like that, you know.”

Matthew was familiar with his friend’s opinion about the Montagne’s core beliefs. It was one of the reasons they had grown apart over the years. He found the distance between them bothered him more now than it had in the past.

“It makes a difference; whether you are a mutant or not, and how powerful you are.” These were all well known facts UpMountain.

“Not to me, it doesn’t. Unless you are planning to use your abilities to gain power or to control, use or hurt people. Those last three are usually synonymous, by the way.” He gave Matthew a sharp look, which was returned with one of disgust. “Maybe you’re looking to go down in the annals of history along with Magento?” 

Matthew winced at G’s blatant use of the potent name. Sure, he was the man who had founded the Montagne, and was said to be their savior. He also had a terrifying reputation. 

“It’s arbitrary, Mattie.” G continued. “Like you being good at dance. Or, well, so they said.” G coughed, and Matthew looked away in annoyance. “It’s just something that you happened to be good at. It might affect who you become in your life, but it doesn’t define who you are. Unless you let it.”

Matthew didn’t say anything for a minute as he considered what G said. He shook his head. “It makes a difference.” He reasserted. “It makes me uncomfortable not knowing.” G sighed.

“Most people here feel that their status as a mutant is personal, assuming the mutation is not obvious. Revealing to someone whether you are a mutant or not, and your powers is a sign of a close friendship. So, make some friends,” He peered closely at Matthew’s face, “that doesn’t include sleeping with them by the way,” Ignoring Matthew’s exasperated groan, he went on, “The truth is, word gets around, and people tend to know. But we don’t shove it in everyone’s face like you do UpMountain.” He walked away at this comment, and Matthew watched him go, discontent. G had made it clear he wanted Matthew there. It didn’t mean the large man always liked it.

Uncomfortable or not, Matthew came to enjoy his days hanging out with G and his friends, and helping out around the center. He met the rest of what he thought of as G’s gang, Scarlet and Hulio. The former had a brash, in-your-face personality to her peers, but was a stern den-mother to the kids who came to the Tower. She was G’s second-in-command, and at 21 was the oldest of the group and a year older than G himself. Tall, her skin was relatively pale, and she wore her brown hair shoulder length. 

Hulio was personable and laid back, also set to graduate with Bright in a matter of weeks. His tan skin had a subtle pattern of scales on it. Matthew got along with him the best. He was apparently a very talented singer. Beyond that, Matthew had no idea of either his or Scarlet’s abilities.

With the exception of Patches, they seemed curious about him, and engaged him in conversation or included him in activities when he was there. 

Patches continued to glare at him, and unless it was some kind of event where he could best Matthew, he avoided the UpMountainer. The second week in, Matthew asked G about it. The man coughed uncomfortably.

“Don’t mind him. He objected to my bringing you in. What did he say?” G leaned back with a grin, “Ah yes, he said you weren’t really a suitable person to be helping young women in distress.” G chuckled and Matthew gave him a flat look.

“But I’m the only one who she hasn’t run away from.” 

“Well, he’s also a bit…jealous.” 

“Jealous? Of what?” There were a couple answers that came to mind for Matthew. None of them were what came out of G’s mouth.

“Well,” G thought again, “because she didn’t run away from you.” Matthew sensed G didn’t like this topic, and was purposefully trying to be vague.

“Um… why would that make him jealous? Unless…,” he gave G a dubious look, “Is he interested in her?” G reluctantly nodded his head.

“I’ve tried talking to him. He’s infatuated. Hopefully, it will pass.” Matthew felt surprisingly protective of the young dancer, and also felt that Patches wasn’t thinking straight. The next time the dancer didn’t show, he sought out time alone with young man.

“Hey Patches.” The blue splotched face looked up in surprise. He was 17, a year younger than Matthew who had turned 18 just a few weeks ago in April. In spite of his slight build, he pulled himself to his full height and held himself defensive as the customary look of distrust entered his eyes.

“What do you want, Summers?” Matthew gritted his teeth at the unfriendly tone, but held his temper.

“I heard about your interest in the dancer upstairs. She’s pretty amazing to watch, isn’t she?” The young man didn’t take to his friendly tone.

“You don’t have to be a famous dancer to see that.” He turned back to the bowls he had been collecting from a table.

“Look, it’s just that, I get the feeling your interest is in more than her dancing.” Patches ignored him completely. Matthew soldiered on, “But you’ve never spoken with her. None of us have. We have no idea what she is actually like. I just wanted to caution you a bit.”

“What, so you can have her all to yourself?” The angry comment had been accompanied by a look of pure disgust. “I know what you’d do with her. Yeah, maybe you are helping a bit, but just remember, she’s one of US. Keep your hands off her!”

“Helm and Hellfire, kid! What are you going on about?”

“Oh, come on! You’re just a rich UpMountain playboy, looking for a good time. Well, go get one somewhere else!”

“Hey, I’m doing this for G! I want to help her!”

“Well, get on with it, and then leave.” Bowls forgotten, Patches was in Matthew’s face, his own twisted in disgust and anger. 

“Look, I was just trying to look out for you! And her! If you want to go get your heart broken, kid, have fun.”

Matthew kept clear of Patches from then on. 

Another bit of friction came when G got around to asking how Jae was doing. When Matthew had started coming to the Towers, he had made some joke that Jae was stubborn and obnoxious but otherwise doing well. He had been relieved at the time when G had accepted the joke as a decent status report. Eventually, however, she came up again.

“So, is Jae getting high on being raised with the gods, too?” That was one of the ways G referred to Matthew’s UpMountain life.

“She was even younger than I when we got here. It’s all she knows.” G nodded.

“It was the same for Tara, but at least she was raised in a place where people remember what their hearts are for.” Matthew took exception to that.

“Hey, Adam’s done well by us. You can’t fault him for anything.”

“Taking in two young strays—powerful strays. Hmmm.” Matthew got ready to give G a piece of his mind, but the large man cut him off. “So, what does she do with her time, other than school?” Deciding against the argument he had been about to start, he hedged his answer.

“She’s into sports. Really good at basketball. For a while she was thinking she might try to go professional.” 

“Anything else?”

“Just hangs out with her friends…”

“Matthew, you are a terrible liar.” 

“What? She’s a high school student. What else should she be doing?”

“Yeah, but I know you, and I can tell there is something you don’t want to tell me. Spit it out.” Matthew sighed. He closed his eyes against G’s reaction to his next statement.

“She’s joining the military.”

“WHAT?!? By the Strength, NO! Oh, this is the worst thing that has happened since Tara died. Really? Please tell me this is some sick, terrible joke, Matthew. A pathetic attempt to get me back for all the zingers I throw at you. Not my fault you make yourself such an easy target…” His attempt to bring the topic back to the humorous was derailed as Matthew spoke again.

“She’s starting with the summer cadet training program.” G’s face fell, and Matthew thought the man would cry. Then his face twisted in anger.

“She’s going to become one of those twisted bastards, coming down here to make our lives hell.” It wasn’t unusual for small bands of low-level military personnel to visit the Sewers under the guise of providing protection, but in truth to harass the vulnerable inhabitants. It was a long-standing tradition, originating from raids seeking out non-mutant humans hiding there. While those humans were technically allowed in the Montagne now, the visits continued.

Even knowing that history, Matthew couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable as he watched his friend’s nostrils flare lips twist. G’s anger felt extreme. Given the shaky ground they were already on, Matthew didn’t say anything. 

The large man got up and paced for a minute, after which he seemed back to himself. He didn’t ask about Jae again.

The days at the center were in the minority, however, as anytime the dancer was there Matthew was upstairs dancing as well. Sticking to stretching, strength building and practicing specific moves and sequences, his strength, flexibility and grace slowly returned. 

The young woman continued to be wary of him, and he didn’t try to approach or speak to her again. He had the impression that she tolerated him, but at the slightest sign that he wanted anything more from her, she would bolt. The fear, that G shared, was that she wouldn’t return. 

The days fell a pattern. When Matthew came in the morning, and she was already dancing, then she would be there for the day. They danced for the morning, then took a break on opposite sides of the room. Matthew brought food, and she pulled out a couple of snack bars along with the metal water bottles she always kept with her. G and the others were leaving the bars for her, and she was taking them. G suspected she had been stealing prior to his efforts to draw her out. She was painfully thin. Matthew started leaving packaged food behind as well, and was glad to see it disappear.

After the lunch break and a short rest, they returned to dancing, and sometime mid to late-afternoon she would disappear. Matthew went downstairs at that point, and usually left to return UpMountain. He found the days relaxing, and more satisfying than the months he had spent wandering the DownMountain, hanging out at the gaming shacks or playing pick-up sports games. 

Being focused on dancing again energized him, and watching his fellow dancer, albeit surreptitiously, renewed his love for the art. He was impatient to dance again himself, but was careful to pace his training. At the end of the three weeks after working up from small steps to leaps and short choreographed segments, he finally felt confident that he could perform a piece without embarrassing himself. 

He had received a lot of ribbing over his failed performance, and the day before he intended to dance he mentioned it to G on his way out. 

“Going to try again, eh? Fix your damaged reputation before the tabloids get whiff of it? I’d hate for you to only be known for ONE non-mutant talent, as delicious as it is…” The mumbled comment earned a cuff from Matthew.

“Looking forward to it, Summers.” Patches added from the next table over, a nasty edge to his comment. 

“Oh, can I put in a request?” That was Scarlet. “Hmmm, what’s a really sexy ballet?” Alarmed by the look she gave him, Matthew hastily said he had to get home and left the conversation that drifted out behind him as he went.

“Carmen.” Tray provided.

“That’s an opera not a ballet.” Hulio corrected. “And it’s the woman, not the guy, who does the dance.”

“Well, then, it’s damn well time that was fixed…” Matthew gladly hurried out of earshot.

He was relieved when he didn’t encounter any of them as he entered the Tower the next morning.

The dancer was there however, and after a brief warmup, Matthew cued the music box to the right location on the disc, and moved himself into position. 

He reflected on the piece he had chosen. He had first danced it at age 12. It had been significantly more challenging than the previous dance pieces he had danced. Madam Pietrovich, his dance teacher, had given it to him as a sign that his dancing was not just a childhood hobby, but that he had real potential and she intended to see that he met it as long as he met his end of the bargain and kept striving to be the best he could. 

He felt a spike a guilt at failing to keep that unspoken promise these past months, but then pushed that feeling aside and instead recalled the pride and sense of accomplishment he had felt the first time he had completed the piece. Madam Pietrovich had praised him, a rare occurrence and all the more significant for that. The music started, and he danced.

It felt wonderful. More, it felt right. He glided, he soared and he loved it. He was once again the young man described as the best young male dancer of his generation as he reveled in his own ability. Leaps, spins, glides, he had it back. Not at the level he had been at 6 months earlier, but respectable, and he knew he would reclaim his previous mastery. The choreography was second nature to him, allowing him to focus on making improvements where he could. When he landed the final pose and the music faded, he grinned with satisfaction, and allowed himself to peer across the room out of the corner of his eye.

She was watching him. He couldn’t tell her reaction from her posture, but she was not dancing and he guessed she had been still for some time. He turned his head in her direction, still smiling, but she quickly turned away and positioned herself for the next song. Matthew watched her for a moment, before turning away himself and setting back to stretching and exercises while he decided what he would work on next. He found that catching her attention proved to be just as satisfying as regaining his acumen in dance.

**CITADEL 3020.06.01**

** DAVE **

“Come on, Dave. Let’s go.”

Dave Kelly bristled at his mother’s tone. Impatience tinged with disgust. He did his best to ignore it and stood staring at the small box sticking out of the wall in front of him. It was one of thousands of squares in front of him. Some were sealed with engravings on them, but most weren’t. Only the fact that it protruded out from the wall made it distinguishable. 

Boxes like this were the cheapest method of burial. He felt his own wave of disgust towards his father. Couldn’t the man have done something more?

Pushing the angry thought away, and he focused once more on the box. It was empty. His father had told him that. The bodies hadn’t been recovered, and there had been nothing to cremate. There was no question that they were dead, however. 

He tried to remember a prayer he could say. His church attendance had always been minimal, and his last church experience traumatic. Now, when he wanted to memorialize someone he loved, he found had no words. He was as empty as the box. Tears of frustration pushed at his eyes. He tried to remember what it had felt like to be in her arms.

Another exasperated sigh from his mother threatened to release his anger again. She had insisted on coming with him, probably to keep him from lingering. He heard her footsteps walking away, and took his chance. 

Determination replacing all else, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a cloth package. Holding it in one hand, he carefully folded it back so that only he could view its contents. 

A pair of earrings, like delicate cascades of silver filaments and a matching necklace where the filaments made a serrated pattern along the bottom of the shining oval. An image of her wearing them came to mind and suddenly his heart ached and tears leaked from his eyes. He wiped them away quickly, not wanting to hear the comments they would bring from his mother. 

Taking out a key, he opened the box and placed the jewelry, once again hidden in the fabric, within. He locked the box, and pushed it back into the wall. Later it would be sealed with a stone.  
He allowed himself another moment before he turned and walked away. He mother fell into step beside him, and upon seeing his face, made a noise of dismay.

“Really, Dave. This is unseemly. I hold myself partially responsible. I never thought your father would let you get so close to that…girl.” She gave a sigh of disgust. “You’ll see in time that it’s a blessing she is gone.” Another swell of anger threatened. He pushed it down and thought about the box. 

After he returned the key, they left the building and got in the electric transport, the sort only the wealthiest in the city could afford to use. Moving without a driver, it started down the narrow street, and soon turned onto a broad boulevard, heading to its preprogrammed destination. 

He looked out the window for the short trip back to his mother’s townhouse. She was talking again, trying to reason out his behavior. 

“Dave, I thought you would understand from our society how badly your father failed us.” He glanced at his mother, and saw her lips twist in disgust. “I trusted him.” This was said in a quieter tone, and pained. Dave looked away again. He didn’t care. “The sooner you stop mourning for …” His mother’s lips twisted and couldn’t even finish the sentence. “She should never have existed.” She said instead.

At that comment, Dave felt his anger turn to hatred. He allowed himself a bitter moment of triumph. If she knew how close he had been to the girl in question, she would disown him. If she knew the girl had been a mutant, she would no doubt destroy her husband for the risk to which he had exposed them all. For a moment Dave found perverse pleasure in the idea of his father’s downfall at his mother’s hands. His hatred for the man still burned hot as well. Then he let it all go and said nothing.

At the townhouse, they descended from the transport and it drove away automatically. While his mother started ascending the steps, Dave stopped at the bottom, his fingers reaching for the earring he always wore in his left ear. He hadn’t been able to put that in the box, though he had considered it. She turned back, noticing his absence.

“Aren’t you coming?” He looked at her. Living with his father was intolerable at the moment, but living with his mother was proving to be suffocating. He couldn’t wait for university classes to start so he had a third option.

“I’m going to go for a walk.” Her eyebrows went up helplessly. She sighed.

“Don’t take long. I’ll send Raymond for you.” And she would. He assured her he would return soon.

There was a small park at the end of the street. The city was dotted with similar green spaces, a few large enough to occasionally lose sight of the tall buildings that loomed under the Veil, the massive structure that covered the entire city. This park had a statue in the middle, some memorial to a general of the past who had protected the city when a mutant slipped through the sever monitoring. Martial law had been the rule at that time. 

Dave ignored it and sat on one of the sparse benches among the plants, the one that provided the most privacy. Looking out over the rare and cherished space, green with the spring, he recalled that she had enjoyed going to the parks. At least, that is what she had told him. They had never been able to go together.

His anger, hatred and frustration from earlier came together at that thought, and mindlessly he yelled out loud at the city where he was forced to live. 50 miles squared, contained, covered, and populated by people like his parents, a vestige of humanity. They had condemned his love to death from the moment of her birth. It was a city he wasn’t sure was worth living in any longer. 

Dropping his head into his hands, he hid the tears that fell, and wondered if he could go on. If he didn’t find something other than hatred, anger, pain and despair to fill the emptiness inside him, he didn’t think he could.


	4. Chapter 3

The next day, Matthew arrived to comments about his performance the previous afternoon. Though he wanted to go up and make sure the dancer was there that day, he let the gang at the Towers have their fun.

“Not too bad, Mattie.” G commented. Hulio and Tray had just left after giving him tips as if they were the experts in ballet. “Could have been a bit sharper, though. And I can’t walk under your leaps yet – you need a lot of work on those.” Matthew gave the large man a withering look, but felt some underlying sincerity in his backhanded compliment. “What’s in store for today? The Nutcracker?”

“Is that sexy?” G grinned at Scarlet as the woman joined them. “Not half bad, Summers.” She said playfully, her eyes blatantly taking in his whole body with a new light in her eyes. He quickly moved towards the door, and bumped into Bright in the process. 

“He was trying to remove himself from Scarlet.” G provided for Bright’s benefit as Matthew apologized. The ungendered gave Matthew a sympathetic look, which then turned sincere.

“Nice dancing yesterday.” Matthew smiled down at the shy visage, glad for the straightforward comment.

“Thanks, Bright. It’s nice to know I have at least one appreciative person in the audience.” They ducked away grinning while Scarlet protested.

“Hey, I am very…appreciative. If you have a moment, I’d be happy to show you just how appreciative.” G guffawed, but didn’t come to Matthew’s aid.

“Actually, I just stopped in to say hi. Better be getting up to see if she’s here today.” Scarlet gave him a look of exaggerated disappointment, but Bright standing behind her making urgent motions for him to leave made him grin as he again fled from Scarlet’s presence.

Upstairs, he was pleased to see his dancing companion was indeed there, and in the middle of a choreographed piece. She paused as he entered, looked in his direction as if in greeting, then continued with her work. It seemed a sign that he had proven himself as a dancer.

With him back in shape, a sort of communication began to develop between himself and the young woman. They both began dancing more challenging pieces. Her dancing became more focused and the last remnants of rawness disappeared, which he felt was for the best. As the days passed, they performed and out-performed each other again and again. She moved closer, and began picking up his choreography. Then, occasionally, she started dancing along to segments of the pieces he did. He started paying more attention to the dances she performed.

He quickly learned that she had little patience for sloppiness. The first time he attempted her choreography, she stopped mid-dance and looked straight at him, hands on her hips. He paused, confused. She started again from the beginning, and with an eye on her he started as well. She stopped again, and again stood hands on hips, something Matthew was learning did not bode well. She didn’t return to dancing, and tentatively he repeated the steps. She crossed her arms. Frustrated, he focused and performed the steps with a mind for precision and sharpness. Her head tipped to the side, and he had the distinct feeling she was evaluating him from across the room. He tried one more time, and after this time, she nodded then began the dance herself.

As he danced, he realized he had been fudging the steps as he got a feeling for them. He rolled his eyes, but felt some comfort in her scrutiny as well. His dance teacher and father were similarly particular. He redoubled his efforts, and she spared him another full-on taste of her displeasure. It didn’t save him from over the shoulder looks and head shakes that were less than complimentary. He started adding a few shakes of his head, or painfully thoughtful poses when he noticed her dancing suffered, though the opportunities to use them were rare. 

It was about two weeks later when, in the early afternoon, the ballerina sat down and put on dance shoes for the first time that Matthew had seen. She normally danced barefoot or with her feet wrapped. Matthew felt excitement rising in him. Sure enough, the dancer stood and a moment later and seemed to effortlessly rise to the very tips of her toes. 

Of course, it wasn’t effortless, which Matthew knew well from his long-time partner. It took great strength to dance in toe shoes and the danger of injury was manifold over dancing without the special shoes. The dancer seemed judicious with her use, carefully warming up and doing practice moves. He guessed she had been practicing on them somewhere else, not full choreography, but individual steps. She was very comfortable and confident on the shoes, and as Matthew now knew well, the muscles used for dancing did not recover overnight.

As the song on the box drew to a close, the young woman took up position to the back left of the space. She knew he was watching her. He sensed she was doing this for him, and straightened up blatantly watching her for the first time. Her chin rose and her shoulders relaxed back and he knew he had been right. She wasn’t dancing simply because she enjoyed it, or because it was an outlet. This time she was performing.

The music started and she danced. She must have memorized the order of the songs, which he usually just let play on a loop. It was the variation from Copélia, Swanhilda’s solo. A relatively short piece, but she was entrancing throughout. Her technique was flawless, the illusion of weightlessness lent by the toe shoes accentuated through her strength and precision. She embodied the playfulness of the character, and he wished he was closer so that he could see her facial expressions for the full effect. While it was not the most technically challenging piece he had seen, it was suitable for the solo and she pulled it off well. As the music ended, he clapped with genuine appreciation. 

She performed a full bow, and feeling he had an opening, Matthew started to approach. As she straightened up, she saw him coming closer, and immediately bounded backward, guarded again. Matthew stopped, but it was too late. She raced from the room, stopping only to pick up the small bundle she brought with her every day. The tall man pulled at his hair in frustration, but resigning himself, danced for a while longer, hoping she would come back. She didn’t.

G, Hulio and Patches were waiting for him when he came down.

“Someone saw?” Matthew started the conversation. G nodded. His cohorts occasionally went up to watch the dancing when things were slow at the center, but it wasn’t a set thing.

“Bright was there. They just said the girl ran because you approached her.” Patches, standing to Matthew’s left, growled something incoherent. Matthew ignored him.

“She performed on toe shoes. She wanted me to watch.” He shot a glance at Patches. “I thought it was some kind of opening. I was wrong.” G nodded.

“Toe shoes, huh?” said Hulio. “So, she’s, like, professional?” The man’s distinction gave Matthew pause. These people knew about ballet, but they didn’t know ballet.

“It’s just another form of ballet. Some dancers choose not to perform en pointe. They take a lot out of your body, and there is more risk.”

“But, it means she is a real ballerina, right?” Matthew shook his head, amused and thinking he should take the time to teach them.

“It is a sign of her expertise, but you can be a ballerina without dancing in toe shoes. Men rarely use toe shoes.”

“So, it means she’s better than you.” That comment, unsurprisingly, came from Patches. Matthew bristled.

“You can’t really compare male and female dancers, just like you can’t compare a ballerina dancing en pointe versus one dancing in soft slippers.” G thankfully cut them all off.

“Look, I don’t care what it means. I just care that she doesn’t get scared away. Mattie, there’s always a chance she’s gotten word of your reputation. Stick to the original plan for now. At some point we’ll have to consider something else, but there’s still some time yet.”

“Uh, G, from the way most people talk, I don’t think his reputation would scare her away. Might do just the opposite.” G glared at Hulio, who grinned back. Patches made a sound of disgust. Matthew lifted his eyes skyward, but then focused on what G had just said.

“Still time? Why wouldn’t there be time?” G looked irritated.

“Food. I get those bars because of the activities I run here. There’s only so many, though. I know she still supplements from…somewhere.” The dubious tone to the word betrayed G’s disapproval at her thievery, but what could they do? “But she’s not getting enough as it is.” Matthew felt his stomach go sour. He hadn’t realized how tight things were for G.  
“I can get a ton of those.” He said sincerely. G looked at him for a moment, undecided. 

“I’m not comfortable with it, Mattie, but given the circumstances, I’ll take you up on the offer. I’ll pay you back somehow.”

“No, don’t worry about it, seriously.” G waved aside his generosity. Matthew said his goodbyes and went on his way.

The next day, the girl did not show up. That was the first time Matthew worried about it. He couldn’t say why, but he felt that the days she missed were not good days for her. There was nothing to be done, though, so shrugging his concern off, he left the room after an hour of dancing, and went to join the gang downstairs. G was in deep conversation with someone Matthew did not recognize, so he went over to join Tray and Hulio who were supervising an art project for the younger kids who wandered in. 

As soon as Matthew joined them, they again brought up the girl’s performance from the day before. Matthew noticed that Patches drifted over, though he didn’t join the conversation. 

“So, the fact that she can use those shoes means she’s like, one of the best, right?” Hulio seemed to have gotten the message, but Tray was having difficulty believing her friend.

“It just means she wanted to learn on them, and there was someone who could teach her. You do have to have a certain grasp of dance before it is safe to try them, but there are plenty of people who do that.” Trying to forestall the next question he added, “She is an exceptionally good dancer, and must have been taught by a master, however. I thought so even before I saw her dance en pointe.” 

Patches butted in.

“What about up at your fancy dance school? Anyone as good as her there?” Suddenly all their eyes were on him. 

“She would do well there.” He considered for a moment more, “Yes, she would probably be one of the best dancers.” While he hadn’t tailored his response to them, the satisfied nods he got told him he had given the answer they wanted. That one of theirs, someone from the Sewers, could be as good as those living UpMountain.

Matthew directed the conversation away from that contentious topic. He thought he’d try to educate them a bit.

“Other than my dancing, and hers, have any of you ever seen ballet?” He was met with unanimous head shakes. “Well, it’s a very ancient type of dance. Old even before the Devastation. It has stayed remarkably true to its origins over the centuries, and some say we dance the same choreography, that is moves and the order they are danced in, that they did back in the 20th century.” He paused, collecting his thoughts. “In addition to strength, it requires balance, focus, flexibility and commitment, and in that is difficult to excel at.”

“Any sport is like that.” Patches scoffed, in spite the fact he had been lauding the young woman’s dance acumen only moments earlier.

“But most sports don’t require you to learn so many difficult steps, then memorize infinite patterns of them when you perform. And the level of physical fitness it requires is demanding. It is not something you can just pick up. If you are a serious dancer, it is your life.” He paused again trying to form his thoughts when G’s voice behind him made him jump.

“What I want to know is why the hell do people who feel that as _mutants_ they are superior in all ways to those who are not, spend their time perfecting an art that _non-mutant_ humans created, and that a human of skill could do better than them?” 

Matthew opened his mouth to object, but then realized what he had been about to say. _“No human could ever dance better than a mutant.”_ His face colored and he kept his mouth shut, knowing the reception that comment would get. From G’s look, his friend had more or less guessed.

“Before we came _here_ we didn’t think such things.” The big man said quietly with a look of disappointment on his face. 

G made these allusions to their past from time to time, but Matthew didn’t know what to make of them. The only memories he had from before the Montagne were hazy at best. Caves, he thought. A scaled man with spikes on his back, a woman with tan skin, black hair and a red dot on her forehead, a tall bald man. 

And a woman with hazel eyes, her face surrounded by black hair with red highlights. He knew that one – his mother. He quickly turned his thoughts away. It was too painful to think of her.

“Yeah, I guess it is weird when you think about it.” He said responding to G’s comment on ballet. “It levels the playing field, I suppose.”

A couple of people in the group sniggered. “Yeah, except that the mutant who has supreme balance or super strength has a bit of an advantage.” Several of them looked at Matthew like he was an idiot.

“That’s just it. Using your mutant powers while dancing ballet, you just don’t do it. The powers are all so different, anyway, there are only a few people who could benefit from using their powers.” The group didn’t seem convinced, but it was true. Using your mutant ability to enhance your dancing – it wasn’t off limits, but it was no longer classical ballet. There were forms of dance where mutants did just that. He had never considered the irony that the classical art should be promoted in a society which elevated mutant supremacy above all else. 

Something else occurred to him. “My father told me that he has never seen a dancer better than Katyana Pietrovich.” He said softly. G gave him a questioning look. He didn’t understand the connection. Then Scarlet put it together.

“Katya’s Locker - _that_ Katyana?” Matthew blinked, unsure.

“They say she was from the UpMountain…” G murmured, looking at Matthew.

“I guess it was her.” He didn’t understand how, but it made sense.

“I didn’t know she was a dancer. Well, you’ve just proved our point for us Matthew. Thank you.” Matthew smiled wryly, but was distracted as he considered the implications of what he had just said. The group broke up, but G stayed behind.

“Finally figuring out that they’ve been filling your head with crap all these years?” 

“Yeah.” Matthew responded after a moment, “I just hadn’t realized how deep it went. It goes far beyond me.” He murmured, not really intending it as a comment for G.

“You? What are you talking about? Not everything is about you, you know. I know they teach you differently up there, but you are overdue for a reality check my friend.” He snorted. “Not that anywhere in the Montagne qualifies as ‘reality’.”

Matthew was quiet for a long moment, but then continued. “It’s just that, it ties back to Jenna and I.” G looked at him carefully.

“Want to talk about it?” Matthew almost didn’t, but the desire to finally share what he had learned with someone proved too strong.

“When I first left Jenna, after she cheated on me, I was hurt and angry that she had been with someone else. It felt like she thought what we had shared hadn’t mattered to her at all.” G nodded.

“And then she went and shared what you two had shared, with everyone…” G’s voice dropped off at Matthew’s glare. “Sorry, it’s just too good an opportunity to pass up. But, I’m listening now!” Looking at his friend suspiciously, Matthew nonetheless continued.

“By the time that happened, I way past going back to her. It just made the memories sour.” He got an honest look of sympathy from G for that.

“Sorry, man. I’ll, uh, try to stop.” Matthew knew he wouldn’t try hard. “What happened in between?”

“So, I left her, and at first everyone was sympathetic. But after, I don’t know, a few weeks or so, they started getting annoyed. And in all that time, Jenna had never sought me out, or apologized to me in any way, though once she broke her fling off, she was dropping hints to our friends that she wanted to get back together. It didn’t make sense to me.

“There were a few comments that helped me along, like that she was the best thing that could have happened to someone like me, that I was stupid to not get back in my place…” Matthew’s stomach twisted at the memory. People he had thought were friends turning away from him, because he wasn’t playing his part anymore.

He laughed, embarrassed, as he continued. “I actually went back and looked at break ups in the tabloids. There was a pattern. I supposed you won’t be surprised, but everyone knows who was born UpMountain, and who came from Down, whether because of their powers or marriage or whatever.” G narrowed his eyes in disgust at that fact, “So in recent breakups I knew the ones that involved…non-natives, if you like. People that weren’t born UpMountain. And sure enough, even if they had been wronged, there was no apology and they were expected to go back to their partner if that person wanted them back. And most of them went back.” He stopped feeling he had said too much.

“The UpMountain crowd seems to be sleeping with their neighbors all the time. Maybe no apology is the norm?” Matthew was surprised to find G trying to help him. He shook his head.

“If the person wronged was from the UpMountain, there was always an apology. Sometimes referred to from a private conversation, sometimes a public apology with all sorts of stupid stuff for show. No. It mattered who you were.”

“Mattie. I get it.” G spoke softly, and indication that he didn’t have to finish but Matthew wanted it get it all out now.

“They loved me as long as I was the person they wanted me to be. As soon as I stopped performing for them, it was clear that I was no more than a dog doing tricks, and they were pissed that I didn’t jump at their command anymore. Because I wasn’t UpMountain. I’m not even DownMountain. I’m from the effing Wastelands! And Jenna was no different. She would always tell me I was perfect, but as perfect as I was, I was found in the refuse heap and she never forgot that I was less than her. It just wasn’t clear to me until we broke up. I’m surprised they don’t hold their noses when I walk by.” He clenched his teeth to stop the bitter words from coming out. After a moment, he could speak again. 

“So, I started coming down here, where they really thought I belonged. But they didn’t like that, either.” He gave a grin of bitter satisfaction at that. They had lost one of their favorite toys. He tied it back to the conversation on dancing. “But, maybe you are right and, it’s all arbitrary. Where you come from, or how you were born, what attributes you were born with. Maybe, it shouldn’t matter…”

“I’m sorry it messed you up so much, Mattie, but I can’t say I’m not glad you’re starting to see the hypocrisy of this place.” He clapped a hand on Matthew’s shoulders. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Matthew looked down.

“I was embarrassed. I had let myself grow apart from you thinking my life was better than yours, that I was better, when in the end it was all a lie. I couldn’t bring myself to admit that to you.”

“There’s hope for you yet, my friend.” G said softly. “I’m glad you told me. I, uh, I thought maybe it hit you so hard because the redhead cheated with, you know, most notorious lesbian seducer in the UpMountain.” G’s eyes went humorously wide as he tried to lighten up the conversation.

“That woman is a predator.” Matthew stated, with a small laugh. “Actually, in a way it wasn’t a surprise at all. Jenna is curious, a risk taker. When we got in trouble as kids, whatever we had been doing was always her idea.” G snorted in surprise.

“Sounds like I’d actually like her.” Matthew chuckled, then returned to the subject.

“It could have been anyone. The fact that it was Lady Tracy—”

“And the future Head!” G interjected.

“—just made it more public and more titillating. They love those stories up there. Their daily bread.”

“Yeah, well, as you know we’re not exactly angels down here either. We eat that stuff up, too. And your break up gave us a rich serving. Did you really end up in a screaming match at the dance school?” Matthew nodded.

“I expected her to apologize, but she just went on saying it was a bit of experimentation and I should get over it. And it seems she didn’t wait two minutes before getting back with that woman after I stormed out.” Matthew gave a dry laugh at the drama that had dominated his life for those weeks. He found it no longer had the hold on him that it once did. Nonetheless, he was relieved when G changed the topic. 

Raising his voice, the large man pulled his friends back into the conversation.

“Hey, all this deep thinking, if it’s not putting too much of a strain on your pampered brain, you should come down to the Center Court sometime and debate with the oldsters there. They talk about anything and everything, but mostly philosophy and psychology. Personally, I love the psychology. Analytical, behavioral, or my personal favorite, gestalt-”

“Leave off the gestalt, man, you’re always trying to make it out to be more than it actually is!” Hulio called from a nearby table, where he appeared to be helping a younger boy with the art project. G glared, but Scarlet and the others nearby hooted. Apparently, this was an old joke.

“Poor children, if only their puny brains weren’t incapable of such deep and delicate thoughts. Now, in you Matthew, we may just have the beginnings of a great philosopher.”

“Well, he sure knows deep and delicate. You can try out your ‘thinking’ on me anytime, Mattie!” Came Scarlet’s yelled rejoinder to G’s commentary on their collective intelligence. More laughter followed, along with a warning glare from G to keep the conversation clean around the kids. Matthew, grinning ruefully, joined them in their activities.

The dancer returned the next day, though over the next couple weeks she continued to miss a day here and there. As much as that worried him, Matthew also found himself looking forward to hanging out at the Towers. He helped the kids with whatever they were doing that day, or with homework which they occasionally brought. He taught a few more pick up dance classes, which he also enjoyed. 

As a sign of the renewed strength of their friendship, G started filling Matthew in on the running of the Tower. He learned that the older individuals who supervised as well as taught the kids were all vetted, and people G trusted implicitly. Safeties were in place to protect the younger kids – they were never allowed to be alone with an older individual, they always traveled around with at least two friends. All were expected to take self-defense classes, which for some reason G wanted the young dancer upstairs to teach, if they ever got through to her. G had not only been caring, but cautious when he had created his hangout. When Matthew asked about the name, G shrugged saying he had never been bothered. Apparently, it was simply known as ‘the Towers’ in the DownMountain.

As Matthew’s relaxed around them, G’s friends and the kids at the center became more comfortable with him in turn. They started to express their curiosity about the life he led UpMountain. They wanted to know what people were really like there. 

UpMountainers were so distant from these kids in the DownMountain, that most had the impression they were nothing short of gods, although some seemed to associate them more with demons. Matthew tried to present things fairly, acknowledging the blatant inequality, but also stressing that in the end the people UpMountain were just that, people.

It made him reflect on what he had experienced growing up UpMountain, especially in light of the comradery he was finding at the Tower. UpMountain, while he and his friends did laugh and joke, there was always an undercurrent of competition. Always a thought of who was more powerful, who was proving to be more adept at manipulation, who was considered more beautiful. These were the people who would rule the UpMountain, and any trait that would put them ahead was coveted. The children truly were taught that they were more or less gods and goddesses, born to lead, meant to be supreme. Matthew didn’t share these thoughts with the DownMountain group.

Some members of the gang became very comfortable with Matthew, and started asking more personal questions. When Hulio came to him asking whether he really had done all ‘that stuff’ with Jenna, Matthew had hedged his answer but not denied it. Hulio proved to be adept at reading between the lines, and his eyes widened.

“How, man? I mean like, how did you know? Did you…you know?” His look of awe made Matthew think uncomfortably of G’s joke about him having two mutant powers. He sighed, but answered honestly. 

“I, uh, asked her.” That was partly true. “And then did more of…whatever.” 

“And was it…like…for you was it…?“

“Yeah, yeah, it was, it was.” He answered quickly, reading the question before it finished. He just wanted this conversation to end.

“You asked her…” Hulio whispered in an awed tone, his eyes still full of admiration. Matthew had awkwardly excused himself. He didn’t understand why they found it so esoteric. It wasn’t exactly rocket science. Nonetheless, similar conversations happened with a few other men and women in the group. Matthew sank with embarrassment each time. 

The worst was Scarlet who simply announced to the gang at the end of one day, “Four times? In one night? It’s not possible. For a man at least,” and she had smiled a challenge at Matthew, and he had fled as usual. He had learned that she was bisexual, with a preference for women. Her relationships with men tended to start with a standing challenge, one which she didn’t expect the man to meet. Matthew avoided her when he was able.

Matthew welcomed the casual environment G had created. He realized it didn’t transfer to the rest of the DownMountain, much less the Sewers, the neighborhood around the Towers, where people were often too run down to care about much except getting through the day. Nonetheless, he understood that G had created a haven where these kids could grow and consider that perhaps there was more to life than what the Montagne offered.


	5. Chapter 4

They entered the heart of summer and the city inside a mountain baked as it did every year, in spite of the distant whir of the cooling system. School ended, and Matthew enjoyed the fact that he was no longer technically skipping classes, a fact he made sure to point out to his father. Adam, far from satisfied, countered with the fact that Matthew would have been finished with the compulsory schooling at this point if he hadn’t effectively dropped out. The conversation was a sour note in Matthew’s thoughts.

His silent relationship with the dancer evolved. They both became proficient in the other’s choreography for several pieces, and sometimes danced synchronized with each other. Even though they still danced on opposite sides of the room, Matthew found he looked forward to the times they would dance together. He started to wonder what she would be like as a dance partner, and itched to ask her if she had ever partnered with someone before. He made no attempt to talk to her however, as he and G had agreed. 

One day, they wordlessly took up places for a dance they had done together a couple of times. When the music began, Matthew was momentarily confused as the young woman broke right when he went left. Then he realized she had flipped the choreography. He thought he understood why about halfway through the song, when they came face to face with each other, separated by only eight feet or so. It was the closest he’d ever been to her, and they studied each other for four beats before the dance had them move back to center.

Her skin was a light brown, the shade of a café au lait. It had a coolness about it that differed from the warmth of Matthew’s deep brown skin. Her features were long and well defined, her lips full. She wore a scarf on her head. Matthew had never seen her without it, and it was always dark in color, as were the clothes that covered her lean form, long sleeves and leggings in spite of the heat. Better for hiding, he suspected. Her figure boasted only slight curves, and stood perhaps half a foot shorter than himself. 

At this close distance, though, it was her eyes that captivated him the most. They were a piercing blue. Lensher-blue he thought to himself fatuously. The Lensher line was famous for their deep blue eyes, as well as the strain of white hair that had emerged centuries ago. The combination was the height of beauty in the Montagne, and very rare. Many people born with blue eyes bleached their hair to achieve the effect, but it rarely looked natural. The dancer in front of him had eyes that would qualify, and Matthew lost himself in them long enough to miss a few beats and had to run to catch up with the choreography. He wondered what she thought of him.

Days crept by, then weeks, and Matthew lost himself in the routine. He looked forward to seeing the dancer each day, was glad when her off days became rarer, though he did miss his time at G’s. At some point she stopped missing days altogether. While they never spoke, the non-verbal communicating that had started between them expanded, especially as she slowly allowed herself in closer proximity to him. Dubious looks, over the shoulder glances and small smiles as she turned away spoke volumes. Matthew found himself working for the last, and wondering if he could get her to laugh. 

He hadn’t realized that summer was over halfway through, and weeks had passed since he had last hung out at the center or spoken to G in anything that qualified as more than passing, until the morning he saw Travis Lensher outside the Towers. 

Nephew to the current Head, Travis was a small, slight teenager with dark hair, pale skin and the legendary blue eyes bordered by thick glasses. He was three years lower than Matthew at school, and Matthew was familiar with him, though they weren’t acquainted. He was reserved, and people whispered at school that he was a bit odd. 

Matthew dismissed all that. The presence of anyone with the Lensher name set him on edge. The tabloids were never far behind them, and Matthew didn’t want that sort of attention again. He had been happy when the papers had finally lost interest in him and his DownMountain escapades. He scowled as Travis’ figure disappeared down an adjacent alley.

Finding G to tell him about Travis proved to be easy. The big man was waiting for him and grabbed him by the arm when he entered, dragging him to the base of the stairwell. 

“What are you doing, Mattie? Stop making eyes at the girl, and remember we are trying to help her!” Matthew was taken aback at G’s vehemence, but recovered quickly.

“Hey, I’m doing what you asked me to do, remember? But there’s a bigger problem. I just saw Travis Lensher lurking outside. You know he’s going to bring unwanted attention here by virtue of who he is.” Matthew was not impressed with G’s reaction.

“And virtuous he is. That is one fine looking young man.”

“G, he’s only 16.”

“But he won’t stay 16 forever.” G raised his eyebrows suggestively, then returned to his former scowl. “Stop distracting me with juicy tidbits. Matthew, time is of the essence. Summer is not going to last forever.”

“G, you aren’t taking this seriously. What if Travis finds out about the girl? He’ll make something out of it and sell it to the tabloids!”

“There you are wrong. Travis has a brain and unlike you he actually uses it sometimes. Point of fact, he’s been hanging around here on and off for the past year, and has never caused a problem. Anyway, he knows about the girl.”

“What? How? He knows she not from here?” Matthew demanded in a fierce whisper.

“He does not know that.” G responded, pointedly. "He believes she’s a proxy down on her luck, and not taking it well. Destined for Katya’s Locker sort of deal.” G grimaced, before going on. “She and Travis had a bit of a run in themselves, back when she first arrived. She startled Travis so much he set off a few of his sparklies as she ran by.” Travis’ mutant power was weak pyrotechnics. “She put a foot in his chest and left him gasping on the floor.” G sounded proud, although Matthew wasn’t sure of whom. He wondered briefly that Travis hadn’t raised an alarm over the altercation.

“And you were going to tell me this…when?”

“Ah Mattie, I wasn’t worried about you. And if I hadn’t known she could defend herself, I wouldn’t have brought you in. But Matthew,” he continued, taking Matthew’s arm, and ignoring his friend’s indigent objections, “I know in your UpMountain world these things don’t happen, but here when it gets to fall, food gets tight to get us through the winter. And I’m not willing to rely on your handouts indefinitely.” 

Matthew hadn’t known that. Each time he learned of a new way in which the DownMountain suffered, it felt like a kick in the gut. He cursed his lack of knowledge. He wasn’t just doing a favor for G anymore. He wanted to help the dancer see that there was a lot more for her here than running and hiding. The Montagne was not perfect, but it did take care of its people. More or less.

“You’re right, G. I’ll try to talk to her today. Just let me do it at my own pace.” G nodded, satisfied, and let Matthew go up the stairs. Matthew ran is hands over his head in frustration. He had no idea how he was going to get the girl to listen to him and not run away. He hoped that her small entreaties towards communication meant that she was comfortable enough with him to hear him out.  
When he reached the room, the young woman was already dancing as usual, so Matthew set up the music and started stretching. His silent companion glanced at him, then continued with the routine she had been practicing. Soon they were both dancing and the day proceeded as usual. 

They danced synchronized a couple of times – Matthew was distracted and her flat looks made it evident that it showed in his dancing. Otherwise they each worked independently. Shortly after noon, when they often stopped for a break, Matthew decided it was as good a time as any. He didn’t try to approach the young woman, and simply started talking, deciding to get as much out as he possibly could.

“Hey, uh, I’m Matthew. I said that before, didn’t I?” He was babbling. Not good. He wanted to know her name, but didn’t dare ask. She was already eyeing the nearest door. “I have really enjoyed this. I love dancing here, I love dancing with you,” What the hell was he saying? “but it’s not the only reason I come. You see, my friend G, he kind of runs the place below, for the kids. Well, he’s worried about you. And so am I. You obviously don’t have a place to get food, and I shudder to think where you sleep. You don’t have anyone here, and G, that bothers him. He really looks after the kids downstairs and while you are not a kid he wants to help you as well. And he can. We don’t know why you don’t have a pass card. You must have somehow slipped by the Montagne’s refugee check in.” 

The girl had just been standing and listening until now, but started to move at his last words. 

“And we don’t care.” He added hurriedly. “Hey, if we did, we would have reported you ages ago. Like I said, it is obvious. The pass card system is super lenient. There is no reason not to use one.” She stopped, just a few steps from the door, and then turned back to him, waiting. Good, she was logical and apparently had some trust in him. He could work with that. “And that’s just it. G has a pass card you can use. It belonged to his sister. You look a bit like her, and you are about her age, or the age she would have been. Anyway, G says the administration is super loose down here, it could be some random guy’s card and they probably wouldn’t stop you. So, what do you say? It’s really a no brainer. No questions asked, no ties to bind. Well, G will continue to keep an eye on you, but he’ll give you your space. He’s good like that. It seems straightforward to me. Please, let us help you.” He found he was panting, but he had gotten it all out. He waited, catching his breath.

“Where did you learn to dance?” Her voice was low and melodious. He blinked. What? That was not what he had expected. But, she was talking, so….

“The Pietrovich School of Ballet. UpMountain. My dad had danced there since he was a kid, so he brought me there when I was little. I’ve been dancing ever since.”

“Really? Why were you so bad when you got here?” Her tone was suspicious.

Matthew winced, and he paused before responding. He decided he would tell her, he didn’t mind that. He cleared his throat.

“Um, I had this dance partner. We had been together forever – grew up together really, dancing together the whole time and eventually becoming a couple. Anyway, she cheated on me a several months back. And it changed everything for me. My dancing had been so connected to her…I just couldn’t do it anymore. So, I stopped. Until I saw you dance.” He shut his mouth before he said anything else creepy.

She just looked at him. He took the moment to gaze back at her. He had slowly started walking towards her as he talked, and now was close enough to see her eyes clearly again. He jumped when she spoke again. “This ‘G’. How do you know him?” Matthew blinked, non-plussed. 

“G and I go way back. We came to the Montagne together.” 

“You weren’t born here?”

“No. There are a few people like that in the Sewer. Um, I mean the place where this building is.” He had sensed she was confused and elaborated. She had kept herself safe, but the isolation that required had kept her from learning about this place. Well, he’d teach her what he could. “The Montagne has been keeping a protective eye on the Wastelands for generations, and regularly brought children back from caravans that were raided and abandoned. G and I were among one of the last batches of kids to be found.”

The story put her off balance. She looked surprised, then confused, then horrified. “Caravans on the Wastelands? Being attacked…and the kids were left out there alone?” Her eyes filled with pain. “That’s horrible.” She whispered. Her sadness triggered a memory he hastily pushed back down. He was suddenly angry. Why was she dwelling on this? He was trying to help her couldn’t she see that? She-- 

He suddenly realized he had lost track of what he had been saying. She was looking at him strangely and backing away. He panicked. G, that’s right, he was telling her about his connection to G. In his desperation to keep her there, his blurted out everything.

“Yeah, G and I were in the same caravan that was attacked. His parents died. My mother was killed in front of me. We were found later and brought to the Montagne. My sister and I were adopted UpMountain. That’s where I learned to dance.”

Flustered, he looked away from her. Had that made sense? Why had he told her about his mother? He didn’t like to talk about that. He forced himself to look back and found her gazing desolately into the distance. She seemed as if in a trance.

“My mother died in my arms.”

He started in shock. She suddenly regained her composure. He thought he saw a brief look of horror and disbelief before her face settled into the controlled mask he was starting to understand she always wore. She looked at him.

“I’ll consider it.” She said, then turned and bolted through the nearest door.

Matthew stood there feeling numb. His mind vaguely processed that she must have meant she would consider the card, but other things dominated his thoughts.

_My mother died in my arms._ He now acknowledged that pain and grief had bled from her the first time he had watched her dance. Her mother’s death must have occurred shortly before she arrived at the Montagne.

_She dances like you used to._

He felt his own grief try to break free from the place in his heart where he kept it contained. Shaking himself, and refusing to face the pain, he slowly went to collect the music box and head downstairs.

“Mattie!” The whispered call shook him out of his numb state when he reached the bottom of the stairs. “You did it!” 

Bright was standing there, grinning up at him.

“She--?” Bright nodded.

“She came down. She’s talking to G in the common room right now! Looks at the rest of us like we are about to eat her, but you got her talking!” Matthew grinned at Bright’s excitement, which made their own dark-skinned face break into a wide smile. The non-binary grabbed his hand. “Come on.”

When they arrived in the common room, however, the young woman had already moved on. Spotting them, G came over, a wide smile on his own face as well.

“You did it, Mattie. You can add bringing in strays to your list of accomplishments.”

“She took the card?” Matthew felt a pang of disappointment that it was done so quickly. G grimaced.

“Not yet. She’s ‘thinking about it.’ But now I think she’ll come around. You broke the ice.” The large man glanced at Bright. “Hey, Bright, could you give us a moment?” The young person nodded releasing Matthew’s hand, and went to join Tray and Hulio in another part of the large room.

“Um, Mattie, did you have to tell her all that…stuff?” After a moment of confusion, Matthew realized what ‘stuff’ G was referring to. The caravan.

“Ah, it kind of just slipped out. She brought it up?”

“Yeah, quizzed me on the whole thing.” Matthew nodded taking this in.

“She was checking my story against yours. Probably to see if we are trustworthy.” G’s face took on a look of calculating admiration.

“I should have seen that. So, she’s a smart one then. I can work with that.” G nodded thoughtfully, and slapped Matthew on the back. “You better keep coming back, Summers.”

“What? Of course, I’m going to…” Then he realized that with the lines of communication open between the dancer and G, he served little purpose anymore. He felt a sense of loss for a moment, but pushed it aside. 

“Of course, I’m going to come back! I’ve got my reputation to clear and my own private dance studio upstairs!” _And she’ll still be there._ The thought was purposeful, as if he was trying to convince himself of the truth of it. He was sure she would continue to dance upstairs for at least for the next while, but he also recognized that her days of dancing in the Tower room were probably coming to an end. Again, he felt a sense of loss. 

Even though the day was early yet, he bid good bye to G and the crew and went home. On the train, he wondered how strange it would be if he kept coming to the Towers, now that his mission to help the recalcitrant dancer was complete. 

  


Matthew was being attacked. One person held his arms pinned behind him, while one others approached him from the front. A third held back, and was shouting something that Matthew understood distantly was a warning. The one in front snapped back at his cohort as he reached for Matthew’s shirt and pulled it open making buttons pop off and to the side.

Fear coursed through him, and adrenaline surge through his body. Fighting the fear, he tapped into the rush of energy and tried to assert some control. He knew he could defend himself. He just had to be careful about how he did it. Using the self-defense he had practiced, he brought his knee up into the crotch of the man in front. The man jumped back, anticipating the attack. Fear spiked in Matthew, and suddenly the arms behind him were pulling him to the ground. The man in front kneeled and started pulling up Matthew’s skirt, yelling something to the one behind. The third stepped forward, and still talking meaningless words, placed his hands on Matthew’s ankles. 

Mentally, Matthew froze. With a rising feeling of panic, he realized this was not his nightmare. How was this happening? Something was very, very wrong.

The dream continued. The woman, it was the only thing that made terrible sense, was fighting, twisting violently to stop the men, her panic and fear coloring the nightmare. She was trying to focus on something, something small but important. Her fear was making it difficult. Matthew couldn’t follow her thoughts for the powerful emotions vying for control of her. 

Panic took over, and she jerked, discovering that the man by her legs wasn’t really holding her down. She immediately brought her legs up to kick the one in front of her, who was now trying to pull her tights down. In response, the man behind her kneeled on her hands and wrenched her head back, trying to bring her under control. Suddenly the attacker behind her gasped in disbelief and released her. The other two stared at her as they started to back away, horror on their faces. 

“Demonspawn.” The one directly in front of her whispered. The words were still unintelligible to Matthew, but this time he understood the meaning intuitively from the dreamer. The two men backed away, and the third suddenly came into view on the side. Together they fled, a rushed comment, something about her mother and knowing a gang drifting back down the alley. 

Suddenly weak with fear and relief, the victim pushed herself to sitting, and then backwards until she hit a wall gasping to catch her breath. She fumbled to pull her clothes back on. Then a terrible understanding filled her, and with a sharp surge of fear and panic, she launched off the ground her mind racing. 

Matthew didn’t attempt to follow the thoughts; he was trying to get out of the nightmare but found himself firmly ensnared. 

Then the woman was in a dark tunnel. He sensed her desperately recalling plans and matching them to streets, but Matthew paid no heed, still trying to get out of the dream to no avail in the maelstrom of emotion. In the nightmare, time started to slip and jump, and Matthew connected that there was a new fear rising in her, something worse than the gang rape she had just narrowly escaped. It was associated with her destination. With a person. Her mother. 

Coming out of the tunnels, she entered a building through a basement door. A dark and dusty staircase flew by, a seemingly endless flight upwards. A door opened a crack, the hallway beyond empty, a flash of relief. But as she approached one of the doors off the hall, that relief evaporated. The lock had been smashed and the door was ajar. She pushed the door open on a new horror. 

The woman, surrounded by boxes, had been viciously beaten. The left side of her face was swelling and turning purple. There were likely broken bones. Her hands rested painfully on her stomach, suggesting internal injuries. A dark stain marred her trousers at her knee, and Mattie though the angle looked wrong. He started to feel sick, and knew it was his feeling not that of the dreamer.

The dreamer fought anguish, despair and – guilt? – as she knelt down and gently lifted the woman’s head into her arms. Internally, she was fighting down her primal feelings and grasping for calm so she could think, so she could get them out of this terrible situation. Tears poured down her cheeks, her throat closed with despair and she sobbed. She wasn’t succeeding. 

The woman stirred, and opened her eyes. One of them, as the other was swollen shut. It was a warm golden-brown color, and Mattie sensed she was trying to project calm and focus through her pain.

“Eleni! Go! Run! LIVE!” Each word was a faint gasp, barely intelligible. 

“Mom, no, no!” It was more of a sob than a sentence. “I’m so sorry! Mom, no! Don’t leave me!” Despite the girl’s desperate entreaties, her mother’s lips stopped moving and, her body went limp

“No!!!!!”

It was too much. Matthew continued to try desperately to disengage himself from the nightmare, but knew it was too late. The dreamer’s feelings were too familiar, he felt his own nightmare forming from the depths of his mind. “No!” 

The scene changed.

The brutal sun beat down on parched and rocky earth. Down in the ravine below, fires burned consuming several charred bodies and large boxy shapes. The caravan. Matthew clung to his mother, shaking. Trying not to sob. She was trying to calm him down. 

“Think of your daddy. Think of your daddy, Mattie. We’re going to get back to him. I promise. But I need you to be quiet. You’re safe here. And you must not think out loud. You can do it, Mattie. Look at me. You can do it Mattie.” 

Gentle but insistent, the litany continued until Matthew was able to tear his eyes away from the destruction he knew lay below. His mother’s hazel eyes looked down at him, focused only on him despite the tragedy that had just struck them. Filled with love for him. He swallowed, and felt his breathing calm slightly. 

“You are so strong Mattie. I knew you could do it. I need you to be strong for me for a little longer. Can you do that?” Matthew nodded, although he felt anything but strong. He would try his best for his mother.

“Mattie, Jalisa’s down there, and the other kids. I can save them. I have to try.” _No, don’t leave me!_ “That’s what we do. Protect each other. Keep each other safe. You’ll be safe here. They won’t know you are here, so long as you do not think out loud. Can you stay here, quiet, and wait for me?” Mattie nodded, although he was panicking inside. _Don’t leave me alone!_ But…his sister and friends were down there. He nodded again.

She pressed her finger to her lips, and silently slipped out of the narrow opening to their shelter. She stayed close to the ground and moved slowly. Nothing else moved. Matthew squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn’t look. The panic of not knowing what was happening to his mom made him open them again. 

She had moved a few feet away, slowly easing herself up to get a better look at what was happening below. Voices floated up from the ravine, and the sounds of children crying. Matthew started shaking. He thought he saw something moved to his right. “Mommy!” He cried out. She turned back to him, starting to stand in alarm, a red glow taking shape around her. He felt the familiar warmth of her powers and thought he was safe. Then a sharp pop sounded, her head jerked forward and her body fell limp to the ground. A dark stain began to spread over her hair. The glow faded. Matthew screamed.

“Mommy!!”

Men were coming up the hill behind her body, dressed in dark suits with white arm bands. 

“Mommy!”

The scream came out as a hoarse whisper. Matthew’s throat was constricted and dry from fear. Desperately, he tried to breath, gasping in air, fumbling for some form of control. Why had he had that nightmare now? It had been years since he had last seen it. 

As his breathing calmed, he sorted back through the terror. The same one as always. Perhaps more vivid and terrifying than he remembered. Also, different…he had been attacked, and then running. He was still running. No, that was wrong. He had a moment of vertigo, a sort of double vision. Suddenly he understood.

It was her dream. The dancer. Somehow, they were linked. A psychic bond? He thought that only happened after a long association and had to be accompanied by strong mutual feelings. Nonetheless, the evidence was in front of him and he couldn’t deny it. Now that he was aware of her, he could feel her. She was panicking. She was terrified.

He shot out of bed, shoving on whatever clothes came to hand on, and quickly but quietly left the house. It was just before 1 o’clock in the morning. He was fairly certain the trains were still running. Trains UpMountain from Down ended early, but jobs for workers from DownMountain started early and ran late, so trains back didn’t stop until the small hours of the morning, only to start again a couple hours later. Bitterly thankful for the inequality that let him get to the dancer, he slid onto the train and waited impatiently for it to leave.

Eleni ran. She had woken up, and almost fallen, catching herself at the last minute. As soon as reached the ground, however, her instincts had kicked in and she had started running. The part of her mind that was grappling for control was telling her to go back to where she had come from, but in the dark of night she was lost. When she slowed to try to orient herself, she became keenly aware that she didn’t know this place, and didn’t know what dangers might lurk. So, she kept on running. It felt like she had been running forever.

_“Mommy!” _The child’s cry echoed in her mind, and she was again subsumed by his fear and despair. When her mother had died in her arms, she had been devastated, but she had been an adult, and able to understand what she was facing, able to manage her emotions enough to get herself to safety. The feelings of this child were wild and the fact that he could not understand or control them only amplified them. Every time she thought she had tamped them down so she could start to process what she needed to do next, they reared up again causing her breathing to break into choked gasps. Tears streamed down her face as she ran.

She nearly hit a wall, and veered sharply left. The station. She didn’t know how to get there…and yet, somehow, she did. She followed this new instinct. If it turned out to be right, at least she would know where she was.

A few more turns, and she hit the edge of a lit courtyard. She slowed, and glanced up to make sure she was at the station. Shock jolted through her. Matthew was standing in the middle of the courtyard leading to the station. He was looking right at her.

A sort of numbness set in, as her mind grappled to incorporate this new development, and she slowed as she approached him eventually stopping a few feet away. Gasping for breath, she stared at him. 

He had become familiar to her, and in that was comforting. Tall with a broad chest and wide shoulders, his hair was a mop of tight-tangled dark brown curls. His deep brown skin, his eyes that reminded her of melted chocolate. She felt herself calming, and started to try to make sense of the situation.

Matthew seemed relieved, then ran his hand through his hair with a bit of trepidation. He hesitated, then spoke.

“I’m glad you’re ok. I need to explain. You see I’m a telepath.”

Eleni froze, her eyes flying wide in shock. She had let herself be lulled into a sense of safety in the Montagne. This was where mutants belonged. More than the place she had been, for sure. During her time here she had seen all forms of humans made half animal, a rainbow of skin colors, even people made from rocks or other materials. Few of them had seemed any more threatening than the people she had grown up with. 

In truth, she was completely unprepared for living in a society where everyone had supernatural abilities. Her mind screamed danger, but the shock rooted her feet to the ground. Matthew was talking rapidly.

“I don’t use it really, and never, NEVER, go into people’s minds without their permission. It’s wrong. But…I think we’ve developed a connection. Maybe like a psychic bond. I don’t know how or why, but it is there. And that’s why the dreams…the nightmares…I saw yours and you saw mine...” He trailed off, apparently looking for words to explain, but he had already lost her. 

“A psychic bond?” Inside she was panicking. What had she gotten herself into? Could he read all her thoughts? A bond, did that suggest something constant, permanent? She started to back away, although the sick feeling in her stomach was telling her that running away was useless now.

“Elayni, wait, please I am no danger to you! The bond, it seems to be emotionally based. I can sense your emotions, but I think that’s it! It doesn’t mean I’m going to control you or anything like that! And I said, I don’t do that! It’s wrong. Please, believe me! If I had wanted to manipulate you mentally, I have had ample chance!” All of this rushed out of his mouth. He was panting to catch his breath afterwards. 

Suddenly, Eleni knew that he was desperately trying to keep her there. She could feel it. It didn’t mix with her emotions – it was distinctly separate. Her own desperation and panic were still strong, but this new awareness temporarily distracted her. Was that the bond? She shook her head, trying to use the temporary stay on her emotions to reassert her control and think.  
“But you know my name. You’ve been in my mind!” 

“I know your name from the dream.” She paused, reviewing the memory she had relived nearly every night since her mother’s death. Tears pressed against her eyes, but she forced herself to think of it. Yes, her mother had said her name. He really had seen her nightmare. She looked up at Matthew, searching his face. His desperation had faded slightly, and now chagrin flashed across his feelings.

“I did give you the suggestion to come to the station. And led you here. But it wasn’t exactly entering your mind – more like tossing the ideas into your head…gently…” He winced slowly as he looked at her. His desperation rose again.

Eleni suddenly felt exhausted and helpless. He had put a thought in her head and she had followed it. With this bond he could probably find her anywhere. She stared at the man who had helped calm her when grief had threatened to overwhelm her, but had now put her in a terrible position. She was too tired to fight it. The best she could do was understand what it meant at this point, and see if there was a way to undo what had been done. 

As her panic and the need to run dissipated, sadness rose up in their wake. She found the source and looked up at Matthew, remembered the nightmare from his past, knowing the trauma he had suffered. Knowing that that child still lived inside him. Suddenly, he didn’t seem a threat at all.

“That was your mother.” She said softly, sadness thickening her voice. He was momentarily confused by the non sequitur. Then pain flashed across his face and his feelings. He nodded.

“And that was yours.” He replied softly. “I’m so sorry.” He choked on the words, but Eleni could no longer see his face as tears filled her eyes. She would have crumpled to the ground, except that then Matthew was there, his arms around her. She buried her face in his chest and gripped him tightly, as her grief overwhelmed her and she let it out.


	6. Chapter 5

**MATTHEW**

Matthew didn’t know how long they stood there like that, both crying, bathed in the dusty halo of the station lights. After a time, the tears stopped, but they still stood holding on to each other. Finally, Matthew lifted his head from where he had rested it on hers.

“We should find somewhere to go. Somewhere we can talk.” He breathed out in mild frustration as he tried to organize his thought and come up with place.

“I know a place,” Eleni volunteered quietly. 

She moved away from Matthew, and led him around to the back of the station. He recalled that there was a park on a terrace up above it, and that is where she took him. 

A broad path wound up to the entrance near the wall of the mountain which edged the park. Once there, she curved back to the front of the park, which looked out over the expanse of the DownMountain. A low wall edged the front of the deserted park. During the day, green plants set in small squares of earth would have been visible throughout, but in the dim lights of the sparse lamps, they were dark shadows to be avoided. 

Eleni led him to a patch of rough bushes growing up against the wall. Pushing through them, she climbed up and over the wall, and disappeared. Matthew followed and found himself in a small alcove, a few feet lower than the park above. It spanned about 5 feet before descending down a fairly steep hill to the station far below. The hillside rounded outward again on either side of the small space, giving it a sheltered feel. There were some scraggly bushes at the front of the space. 

Eleni sat down, her back to the earthen wall, in one of the rounded corners of the alcove. Matthew sat in the other. They were separated by about a foot in between.

Matthew considered his companion for a moment. In stark contrast to the emotional storm he had felt in front of the station, she was tightly controlled now, her emotions distant and difficult to discern. He was about to speak, when she set the agenda.

“What is a psychic bond?” Matthew blinked in surprise. How could she not know something like that? Sure, they were rare, but people romanticized them in stories and as such they were common knowledge. Oddities from her dream that had occurred to him on the train ride down came to mind, leading him further to an impossible conclusion. For now, he focused on the question.

“It’s a permanent telepathic link between two people.” There was a flash of dread, similar to what he had felt in front of the station when he had revealed his mutant ability.

“Take it away.”

“What?”

“I don’t want it. Take it out of my mind!”

“I…uh, I can’t.”

“Why not? You put it there.”

“They form spontaneously. It’s something the subconscious does. I didn’t do this on purpose, and don’t know how to undo it. And I won’t go into your mind without knowing what I need to do!” In the face of her insistence, he found himself getting worked up as well.

She fell silent for a minute, staring at him, then seemed to take what he said at face value. She said something that sounded like a curse.

“I need to understand this. So, you can read my thoughts without even…I don’t know…trying? Find me anywhere?” He sighed, relieved they we no longer at odds, but dismayed by the horror he felt from her.

“No and yes, kind of.”

“Kind of?” 

“As the bond is, I would need to be close to you to pinpoint an exact location. Otherwise, it would just be a vague direction. It should be the same for you, too.” He sensed no relief from her when he pointed that out. “I want to try something. Don’t talk for a moment.” In his mind, focusing on her but was careful not to project telepathically, he thought: Where did you come from? “Did you hear or sense anything?”

“No.” Matthew shared what he had confirmed.

“Our bond is strictly emotional, then. With some of them, the people can pass thoughts back and forth. I just ‘thought’ at you, not reaching out telepathically. As you didn’t ‘hear’ it, our bond doesn’t include that.”  
She pressed her fingers to her temples with her elbows rested on her knees, looking overwhelmed. He sensed horror and frustration from her. Nothing he said allayed her fears, though they all pointed to a bond that was limited. As he watched her, he found her discomfort concerning. 

“I don’t want you to be scared of this bond. I’ll research all I can about it, and let you know if there is anything we can do.” He sighed. “They are fairly rare, so I’m not sure there will be much information on them. And,” here he paused, “I am no danger to you. I hope you believe me.” She listened to him, but he sensed she reserved judgement for later. 

“Is there anything else you know now?” He only had his own conjectures to share, but that he did.

“I think ours formed from our shared grief and trauma. When I first saw you dancing, the emotions you were feeling…screamed at me, though I didn’t recognize it then. On some level I understood what you were going through.” He sighed, he couldn’t promise her anything, but he did know that the bonds weren’t always permanent. “There’s a chance the bond will fade. I don’t remember the details. I’ll let you know what I find in my research.” His repeated the last words as quickly as possible. She had become angry at his dismissive words. He desperately looked for something else to add to distract her.

“Distance will affect it.” He tacked on as an afterthought. “The farther apart we are, I believe the less you will sense. Distance affects my telepathy, so it must be the same.” He fell silent, with nothing else to say on the topic and starting to feel bad about the whole situation.

“OK.” She murmured. He looked up again, relieved to sense a sort of resignation from her. At least she accepted it for now. 

She was looking to the side, and he took the opportunity to study her face and sort through his feelings. In spite of the turmoil of the night, he didn’t feel an imposition being here with her. He truly wanted to help her. He also felt that the bond was not the real problem at hand. Hopefully, she would come to see how circumspect he was with his powers. Even the people who had trained him in his telepathy as a child had been impressed with his ability to keep his mind contained. He never caught stray thoughts, and didn’t think the bond would change that. As the silence lengthened, he recalled his question from earlier.

“Elayni, where did you come from?” There was a flash of irritation. “I didn’t recognize the language those men who attacked you were speaking, although I understood the meaning from you…I’ve never heard anyone speak of ‘Demonspawn’…” Reluctantly, she looked at him. Feeling that she was going to try to sidestep the issue, he kept his gaze fixed on her. He wouldn’t let this go. She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed in defeat.

“The Citadel.” Even though he had already guessed, he took a long steadying breath as his guess was confirmed. “I don’t want to talk about it. And I don’t want anyone else to know.” 

He stared at her in disbelief. She wasn’t going to explain how she had traversed the over a thousand miles that lay between the Montagne and its neighbor far to the east? She was going to leave him to guess at how she survived in a society where mutants were killed as soon as they were found? It was common knowledge that every infant was tested, and if evidence of a mutation was found the innocent babe was taken and slaughtered. The Montagne schooled all of its residents thoroughly in the atrocity that existed across the continent. 

He felt her tensing, and knew that if he pressed her, he could lose all the inroads they had made since they had first spoken that afternoon. She would run, and she wouldn’t be drawn out again. He swallowed his need to understand the impossible.

“OK,” he said softly. “That must have been hard on you.” He felt a flash of incredulity and winced knowing how banal the comment had been. The feeling faded to frustration and then he only had a sense of overwhelming weariness from her. Her stomach grumbled audibly. That gave Matthew a new topic.

“The pass card can help with that.” He murmured. “You don’t have to do anything to use it, you know.” She gave an annoyed sigh, but then surprised him.

“I’ll take it. Tomorrow.” A respite from the tension of their situation, the relief he felt was sweet. She was coming around and that was in spite of the secret he now knew, and the intrusion of the bond. 

He heard a shiver in her voice as she breathed out. It was late enough that the heat of the day had diminished, and a slight chill was setting in. They pumped in the cold air of the desert at night to alleviate the stored heat from the day. He reached for his coat, then realize he hadn’t grabbed one as he left. She shivered again, and then leaned her head against the wall to her side as if to sleep. 

He opened his mouth to object, but didn’t immediately speak as he realized there were very few options. He couldn’t get back UpMountain, and anyway he didn’t want to leave her here alone. He was pretty sure she’d refuse an offer to take her to a hotel, and that was risky for other reasons as well. The thought of trekking back across the DownMountain to the Towers to sleep somewhere around the abandoned building made the grassy nook where they sat positively cozy. He resigned himself to their present spot for the night. That didn’t mean they both had to freeze.

“You know, Elayni, it’ll be a lot warmer if we are sitting next to each other.” He didn’t expect her to accept his invitation, but then she spoke with defeat in her voice.

“Well, you can get in my head whenever you want, and find me anywhere I go. Sleeping next to you seems a small risk in light of all that.” She made a sound he thought was laughter. “It’s Ellen-ni by the way.” She shifted to sit close to his side. 

Tentatively, he raised his arm. She hesitated, but then rested her head on his shoulder, and he let his arm fall so that his hand rested on her hip. He noticed sadly that he could feel the protrusion of the hip bone clearly, and was again relieved that she would accept the pass card and start getting food consistently. She shivered a couple more times, but then settled and was asleep in a matter of minutes.

In spite of his own exhaustion, Matthew didn’t go to sleep right away. Pondering the young woman curled up next to him, he reviewed the events of the night and the things he had learned about her. She had survived a brutal attack, an attempted gang rape, only to find her mother beaten to the edge of death. Because they had discovered that she was a mutant, it seemed. That made sense, given where she had come from. He found it cowardly that in their fear of Eleni, her attackers had instead gone after the vulnerable woman who had given birth to her. He shuddered at the brutality of the Citadel.

The depth of her trauma echoed strongly in his mind, but that brought thoughts of his mother, and he purposefully angled away from it and to a new topic. 

A psychic bond. He had felt her dismay at its existence keenly. He took a moment to understand his own feelings, and found that he wasn’t bothered by it. Surprising, perhaps – it gave her a window into him, just as it gave him one into her. However, he decided he wanted to solve the puzzle this young woman presented; he genuinely wanted to help her. The bond, unintentional thought it was, and an intrusion from her point of view, nonetheless created a closeness between them. It would make doing these things easier.

He looked down at the top of her swathed head resting on his shoulder as he felt sleep creep up on him. He hoped over time she would come to be comfortable around him. Then, maybe, she would reveal how she had come to the Montagne. 

“Eleni,” he whispered her name as he rested his cheek on her head for a moment. He had never heard the name before. It was pronounced similar to Melanie but without the M he decided. Taking his head from hers, he leaned it back against the steep hillside behind him, and stared at the points of light and indistinct shapes the ambient light illuminated throughout the DownMountain below. He slowly slipped into sleep. 

Matthew awoke disoriented. It took a minute for him to recall fully the night before and reorder his thoughts. During that time, he registered the warm body pressed against his side, and felt relief. She was still there. The morning sun was glinting on the mirrors in the ceiling of the cavern, and that had woken him up. It was early; they had slept maybe 3 hours, possibly 4. The lack of sleep made his eyes burn. 

Eleni stirred slightly in her sleep, bringing him out of his thoughts, and he was surprised when she cuddled closer to him. He stayed as still as possible, not wanting to wake her, but it appeared the light was already doing just that.  
Her eyes slowly fluttered open, and she tilted her head back to look up at him, a sleepy but content look in her eyes. Through the bond, he was surprised to feel an openness from her, and even…happiness? Love? His breath caught and his chest contracted painfully. He gazed down at her in return. Suddenly her eyes flew wide, and she pushed herself away, scrambling back from him. He let her go, but with reluctance. He had known the moment wouldn’t last. He wondered who it was that she had once gazed at so.

She was reordering her own thoughts, he could tell, so he gave her some time. She sat, eyeing him warily. He was about to speak, when she suddenly said, “What did you feel from me a moment ago, and what do you feel now?” He paused. When she had woken up completely, she had had a moment of disarray, but now…

“You were flustered, alarmed, angry, but now I would say you are…controlled.” She nodded, her eyes narrowed slightly, taking this in. She had reigned in her emotions, and now they were more difficult to discern. 

“We should go get the card from G. Then you can get a proper meal.” She nodded her assent, and they left the alcove, climbing back up into the park.

As they descended to the station, Matthew started telling her about the places they passed. He intended to fill in the gaps in her knowledge of the Montagne. It could only help her.

“So, you know this is the station. Do you know the UpMountain?”

“I’ve heard of it.”

“That’s where I live actually.” She was quiet for a minute, then asked thoughtfully.

“Does G live there, too?”

“Uh, no.”

“How did you end up there, and G here?”

Matthew became uncomfortable. He had never had to explain this story to someone before.

“Well, if a mutant has a desirable mutant ability, efforts are made to bring them UpMountain. They, uh, they place a lot of value here on what your mutant abilities are.”

“So, you were brought UpMountain because you are a telepath.” He nodded. She caught on quick. "What is G's ability?"

"That's a mystery. It happens sometimes. He doesn't even know himself."

"But he is a mutant?" Matthew nodded. Eleni took this in, then continued. “What are the other ‘desirable’ mutant talents?”

“Ah, you know,” he paused, “or you don’t.” The Citadel, he could still barely believe that. “Telepathy of course, telekenisis, shape shifting, strong energy-based powers, weather or nature-based powers, ice, fire and the like. And magnetism. If they found a magnetist, they’d be adopted straight into the Lensher family, no questions asked!”

Eleni was quiet for a moment. He felt a flash of anxiety from her. “Lensher. Like Magneto?” The Citadel again – Matthew actually cringed thinking about the stories they must tell of the man there. 

“Yeah, same family. They rule this place, more or less. There is a governing council, but the Lensher’s still hold most of the power. The current Head, head of the family that is, but that’s the official title as well, is named after Magneto himself. Eric Lensher XII. He’s not very popular.” Matthew added the last in a low voice.

Eleni was quiet while she took in the information. They had passed the station at this point. After a moment, Matthew started up again.

“The place where we have been dancing, and…where you have been staying?” he gave her a sideways glance at that, but she simply looked back at him neither confirming or denying his guess. He kept going, “That place is called the Towers. They were never finished, obviously. So, G moved in and set up his kid’s organization there a year and a half or so back.”

“It’s real?” Matthew frowned for a moment, then realized what she was getting at.

“Yes, it’s real. Meaning, its legitimate, he’s got all the paperwork in order. Doing so helped get some protections for the place. The press can’t just go in. He can have people removed if they are causing trouble. The authorities probably take their sweet time coming down here, but the center has a right to their services. He’s made it a really great place for kids from the Sewers, or any of the DownMountain if they wanted to come. He calls it a place where life can be protected and thrive.” Matthew made his voice deep with that last bit in imitation of G, then flicked his eyes upward. “He gets a bit dramatic at times.”

Eleni raised her eyebrows at that. She didn’t know G yet. Matthew thought G would go easy on her. “That sounds very good for the kids.” She paused, staring at the Towers as they approached then said quietly. “It helped me. I understood that not just anyone could go in there.” Changing the subject, she asked about dance schools in the Montagne. “Are there a lot of them?”

Matthew had to think. “There are 3 UpMountain, I think.” He was surprised to find he didn’t know off the top of his head. “There must be some DownMountain, but I don’t know for sure. I’ll find out. Do you want to join one?” She just shrugged noncommittally at that.

“Just curious.”

When they reached the street across from the Towers, Eleni stopped. He turned to her, worried she was having second thoughts. Instead, she surprised him.

“I need to do this on my own. You helped me see the value in it, but it was a choice I made.” 

“OK,” he said, gazing down at her, “Maybe we can dance after you get the card and some breakfast?” He didn’t want their dancing together to end, but with her about to get the card the future of their relationship again seemed uncertain. She looked at him, silent, and he sensed she was torn. 

As the moment lengthened, Matthew found the world around him faded away. She suddenly seemed vulnerable, and unconsciously he reached his hands out and grasped her arms gently, trying to understand her conflict. He made to pull them closer together, but the action snapped her out of the trance, and she crossed her arms in front of her and stepped back. She shook her head.

“Sure.” Was her hasty response. “I’ll see you upstairs.” Without looking back, she crossed the street and entered the Towers.

Matthew watched her enter, then turned away. Realizing he was hungry, he went to get a snack before going up to the dance room. When he finally entered the Towers, Matthew veered towards the stairwell intending to go straight up. He was cut off by an arm which grabbed his shirt front and pushed him up against one of the concrete walls none too gently.

“What do you think you are doing, Summers?” G growled while he continued to pin Matthew to the wall. Underneath his outer layers of fat, G was solid muscle. “Coming back with her first thing in the morning, looking like you’ve been out all night? What happened?” Matthew connected that they had returned before the trains from the UpMountain had started.

“What?! G, nothing happened! Nothing, I swear. Now let me go!” Hadn’t he just done what the man had asked? Gotten Eleni to take the card?

G looked at him, suspicion thick on his face. “Nothing?” Matthew could tell he wasn’t convinced. “Look, Matthew, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt this time. But remember, all I asked you to do was get her to accept the pass card. Not your tongue in her mouth,” here G examined Matthew’s reaction sharply, “or any other part of you in any other part of her, for that matter.” G paused again, giving Matthew another searching look. Matthew glared back at G, and the man finally released him, but not without a warning. “I know what you are capable of, Summers. Stay away from my sister. In that way at least.”

“She’s not your sister.” Matthew growled, “And I got her to take the card, right?” G nodded reluctantly indicating she had collected it. “Don’t I get some thanks for that?!” G waved his hand vaguely, and mumbled something that might have been thanks. Matthew sighed in exasperation, and started turning away. 

His plans were interrupted when G grabbed him again. “Wha-? I’m just going up to dance!”

“She’s not there,” was G’s response. Matthew thought he seemed a bit embarrassed. He narrowed his eyes at his friend. G was definitely acting oddly as he replied. “I sent her to get…an education.” He pinned Matthew with another sharp look. “About you.” Matthew groaned. 

“G, why? She knows I dance, that’s all that matters.” G’s look turned incredulous for a moment, but then he rubbed his mouth and looked vaguely displeased. 

“Yeah, it might have been a bad idea. There was too much giggling going on when I left.” Matthew glared at his friend, and again tried to turn up the stairs and was again stopped.

“Well, since you have some time, might as well get some morning exercise in. Make sure you are too tired to make any of the things people are going to be saying true!” G ignored Matthew’s objections as he mercilessly dragged his friend towards the courtyard.

Matthew suffered through a half hour of basketball with Patches on the opposite team. G had pulled the younger man into the game as they went out on to the court, and Patches had been all too happy to accommodate. The fact that he was a decent player meant that he was all over Matthew anytime time he got the chance. Matthew could usually hold his own in basketball, but was distracted and ended up with the blame for his team loosing terribly. He didn’t care; G had wanted him to get a workout, and he had, complete with a threat at the end.

“You’ve done what G brought you in for. Don’t come back.” Glaring at Patches’ retreating back, Matthew found some satisfaction in the fact that he had no intention of doing what the man wished. Then he was distracted again as a poignant emotion took his breath away from the other end of the bond.

It seemed that Eleni had loosened her control on her emotions, and throughout the game he had gotten flashes of disbelief, disgust, annoyance, relief which had then shifted to mild anxiety, a spike of fear and guilt quickly resolving into determination. He tried to piece together what the feelings meant, but couldn’t come up with much except that he suspected the first ones had been felt while Eleni was getting G’s ‘education’.

The current feeling reminded him of how she had felt when she woke at his side that morning. His chest tightened again. The feeling was followed by a wave of overwhelming sadness. Even though he felt that emotion was quickly subsumed as she reasserted her control, he made for the stairs ignoring the calls that another game was starting.

He found her standing at the edge of the room, staring at a thin slice of metal while she ate a nutrition bar. The pass card. She looked up as he approached, and extended the card out to him. He took it, and looked at Tara’s familiar face. 

The card was simple enough. The picture somehow glazed onto the metal, a name and a number. The Montagne’s emblem, Magneto’s legendary helm superimposed over a silhouette of mountains, framed by a hexagonal border, was stamped in the upper left-hand corner. It was just like the one he had. He handed it back to her.

“You do look a bit like her.” He said as she tucked it into a pocket. “You should be able to get it updated, the picture and such.” He wondered about G’s claim that administration was so lax in parts of the DownMountain that he thought they could change the name as well.

“G mentioned that. We’re going to go do it later.” She looked at him for a moment, and he wondered what she had heard about him. Remembering the disgust he had felt, he decided he didn’t really want to know. She could say something if it bothered her. Still, he studied her face.

“Eleni, you’re hurting so much.” He said quietly, “Do you want to talk about it?” At his inquiry he felt a spike of annoyance and then her emotions went opaque.

“I just want to dance.” So, they set to warming up in silence.

When they were ready, they agreed on a piece to practice, and Matthew cued the box. He then took up position about 6 paces away from Eleni. She glanced at him for a moment, adjusting to the shift in their relationship. Then she resumed her pose and music began.

As they danced, Matthew sensed his relation to the bond change. He couldn’t explain it, but it seemed to become fluid with emotions floating across the surface at random. There was a pensive quality to it, with hints of anxiety. As they moved through several different pieces, sometimes dancing together, sometimes practicing independently, he felt the fear slowly fade to be replaced by a sense of resolution. She had come to a decision. He wondered what it was.

Around noon, G came up.

“Eleni,” he pronounced it right, and Matthew suspected G had been tutored as he had. The pronunciation was a bit unusual, “some of us are heading to the cafeteria. We can show you where it is.” 

“OK.” Matthew joined Eleni as she went to the door. G gave him a look, but said nothing.

They met Patches, Bright and Hulio at the bottom of the stairs. The blue patched man predictably glared at Matthew and maneuvered himself to stand by Eleni as he spoke.

“We’ll see you when we get back, Summers.” Matthew looked at him directly as he replied.

“I’ll come along for the walk. I can grab a snack while you all are eating.” Patches scowl darkened, and Matthew saw him glance at G, though the large man seemed not to notice. Bright fell in besides Matthew as the left the Tower with a group of kids who were waiting in the entrance.

Patches seemed to be engaging Eleni in conversation, and Matthew would have liked to hear what they were talking about, but Bright was doing the same to him.

“So, what is she like?”

“It’s only been a day. I don’t really know yet.” Bright was silent for a moment.

“But…you guys talked last night, right?” Ah, that. At the question, Matthew felt his exhaustion press in. He tried his best to think through the night before. Most of it he couldn’t share with anyone, even if he wanted to.

“She’s quiet. A bit shy.” None of that was particularly enlightening. He almost said she had been through a lot, but stopped as it would probably only lead to more questions. “She’s still learning her way around. I tried to fill in the gaps in her knowledge.” He hoped the statement made it sound like that was all they had spoken of. Ahead of them, Eleni had moved over to walk besides G, and was asking him questions.

“Did you two plan to meet last night?” Matthew missed the soft question the first time, and had to ask Bright to repeat it, much to their chagrin. He suspected G had put them up to it, and felt a flare of annoyance at his friend. He quickly thought of a reasonable lie.

“No. I forgot something and came back late to get it. I ran into her, and she had some more questions, so I missed the last train. I was giving her a tour of the DownMountain, and we ended up sleeping out in a park.” With his brain suffering from lack of sleep, he wasn’t sure how ludicrous that sounded. Bright seemed to accept it.

“She’s really pretty, isn’t she?” 

“I suppose she is.” His eyes flickered to the swathed head walking to the front left of them. As if sensing she was a person of interest, Eleni turned and looked back over her shoulder at them. Apparently done with G, she dropped back until she was walking next to Matthew. Bright leaned forward and greeted her.

“Hi. I’m Bright.” 

“Eleni.” She glanced at Bright, but then looked forward again. Matthew frowned, sensing something simmering beneath the lock she had on her emotions.

“Here we are!” That was G.

“You can leave now.” That was Patches. He looked expectantly at Matthew.

“What?” That was Eleni, who was suddenly colored with discomfort.

“Uh, I can’t go in. My pass card won’t work here.” She looked at him, confused and a bit betrayed. He used words to cover his dismay. “You see, this is how they, the administrators, can make sure there is enough food for everyone here. There are a few cafeterias throughout the DownMountain, and anyone with a DownMountain card can get in once each meal. My card is keyed to the UpMountain, so…”

“So, he can go get food that is actually decent over by the station.” Patches interjected nastily. Matthew ignored him.

“I’m going to grab a snack bar and will be waiting for you when you are done.” She glanced from him to the three other adults and the kids who surrounded them, then nodded in resignation. Matthew watched them disappear into the large concrete building, then surveyed the square in front of it until he identified a small shop that was likely to have something to eat.

They emerged close to an hour later, Eleni flanked by Patches and G. G moved forward ahead of the group, calling back for Patches and Bright to corral the kids. Eleni started following G, and before she came within hearing distance, G spoke quietly to Matthew.

“She barely said a word the whole time.” He sounded worried. “I’m going to take her to the pass card office. Can you come? She seems comfortable around you.” Matthew nodded, then smiled as Eleni caught up.

“How was it?” She looked at him.

“It was food. I guess.” G snorted at that.

“They keep us alive here, but they do their best to make it thoroughly unenjoyable.” 

“So, off to the pass card office?” 

“You’re coming?” He definitely felt relief from her as he nodded, and was glad. G instructed Bright and Patches to take the kids back to the Tower, which they did though with obvious reluctance on Patches’ part.

Throughout the walk to the administration office, which was located close to the station, G kept up a commentary on the DownMountain. His tone was friendly and humorous, but nearly everything he said provided useful information. It was obviously for Eleni’s benefit.

At the office, they ascended to the second floor.

“Ricardo!” G said in a generous tone as he entered the office. The middle-aged man sitting at the desk looked up and grinned.

“How you doing, G?”

“As well as I can be. How are the kids?” G and the man conversed for several minutes, then G motioned Eleni over. Matthew trailed behind her. He noticed the man at the desk had been eyeing him, and now focused on him instead of the young woman standing at his side. G redirected his attention.

“I’m hoping you can make a couple minor changes to this pass card here.” He flashed the card in front of the man, then pulled it back asking if he wanted the number read out.

“That would be great.” Eleni appeared to be watching with interest while G read out the number and the man typed it in.

“How are these cards tracked?” She asked.

“Hmm? Interested? Would you like a job?” He grinned at her in easy humor, then explained. “The cards are keyed to specific areas of the DownMountain, and the train. That’s it.”

“And all the information is stored on there as well?” She was peering with curiosity at the large boxy computer in front of the man. The man laughed at the idea.

“No! Too much information if we did that. Except for your name, age and mutant ability, it goes into long term storage. It takes some time to access that information, and it is a pain in the butt, so please don’t come to me with questions about your history!” Eleni smiled obligingly. “So, what can I do for you?”

“Well,” this was G, “we have one less mystery here. She heard someone practicing their ancient tongue – and she understood!”

The man nodded. “Language based ability. Any word on yours, G?” The large man raised his hands helplessly, “You know, they’ll help you with that UpMountain.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” G said noncommittally. Ricardo looked at him knowingly and didn’t press further. He returned his attention to Eleni.

“Know any French? I studied some a while back.”

“Je m’apelle, Eleni. Je suis une étudiant des langues.” The man nodded, satisfied. 

“Well, if we ever start communicating with the Citadel, we’ll be knocking on your door!” He said, with a humorous smile. Eleni returned a small sickly one.

“I’d rather you didn’t.” The man laughed sympathetically. “Could…could we change my first name as well?” The man raised his eyebrows. Eleni hesitated. “People call me by my middle name now.” She added by way of explanation. The man shrugged again and asked what name should be entered. They went through the pronunciation dance, and this time the guy didn’t get it right but Eleni let it go.

“Anything else?” He asked. Eleni shook her head. “OK, we’ll need to reprint the card and then you are good to go.” Eleni sat for an updated picture, and the man told her the new card would be ready in a week. “You are all set, Miss Jones.” Thanking him, they turned and left. 

"That was a good idea, using the middle name. Tara didn't actually have one, but they'll never look for that." G said conversationally.

"I don't have one either." Eleni murmured softly, as she inspected the building walls which were lines with pictures of the DownMountain from various angles. 

"Something else you have in common!" G said grandly. Eleni just nodded and hummed. 

G caught Matthew's eye, and tipped his head slightly, taking her response as a good sign. Matthew gestured back, though he wasn't so sure. Weariness was bleeding through the bond, and he suspected that exhaustion was what had let her guard down.

They descended to the larger foyer and were heading for the door when Matthew heard his name being called.

“Matthew Summers?” A woman with skin so dark it was nearly black, her dark wooly hair cut in a halo around her head, was approaching them from down another hall. Matthew stared trying to place her for a moment.  
“Ms. Yanella Darkholme.” He responded, saying her full name for the benefit of his companions. She extended her hand which Matthew accepted. Her curious gaze focused on G and Eleni.

“This is G and Eleni, some friends of mine who live down here.” Yanella smiled at them, and then spoke to G.

“You run the place at the Towers.” It wasn’t a question. G’s eyebrows went up, but he readily acknowledged the truth of her statement. She said nothing in reply, but surveyed G for a moment. Then she turned her attention back to Matthew.

“Mr. Summers, I never had the impression you were focused on anything other than…ballet.” G snorted at the placement of the pause. Matthew glared at his friend, knowing that the woman had paused for a different reason than the one that G was thinking of. “But, it seems you have some interest in the DownMountain. If that interest extends to management, please come talk to me.” 

“I will. Thank you.” He assured her. He was sure that he wouldn’t. She bid them farewell, and they left the building to make their way back to the Tower. G suggested they stop by the clothing recycling center, but Eleni said she wanted to dance some more. When they returned, however, and Matthew and Eleni retreated upstairs, she made no move to start stretching. Through the bond he thought she felt…thin.  
“Is everything ok?” He asked. She looked at him sharply.

“Yes. I’m just tired.” She took a deep breath and focused on him. “Matthew, please do as much research on the bond as you can. I want to remove it. I need to remove it. I understand that it wasn’t something you did on purpose, but I am not comfortable with it.” Matthew determinedly did not feel disappointed at her words.

“Of course. I can see how it would be…uncomfortable for you.” She looked at him, and he felt she was evaluating his sincerity. 

“And no one else can know about it.” In that moment, the sense of vulnerability he had felt that morning returned. It was mixed with dislike.

“Yes, it’s only between us. I promise.” He said. She nodded slowly, keeping her eyes on him, then turned away. 

“I’m done for today.” She looked back over her shoulder, and he felt she was torn. Then she said, “See you tomorrow?” He smiled.

“Yes.”

On his way home, Matthew kept reviewing the day since he had last ridden the train home. So much had happened, he couldn’t believe it had only been one day. Lack of sleep from the night before was starting to catch up with him, and his jaw cracked as he yawned. 

He wondered about the psychic bond. When it had formed? His gut told him it had formed slowly over their weeks of dancing together. He couldn’t pinpoint a specific day but now recognized that he had been unconsciously aware of her feelings for a little while now. They hadn’t been as clear as they were now. He suspected the shared nightmares from the night before had made it stronger.

He wished she was more open to it, though. They were rare, and coveted for that, a sign of a deep emotional connection. The most famous examples were all legendary romances; Charles Xavier and Moira McTaggert, Jean Grey and Scott Summers. While there was nothing romantic to speak of between himself and Eleni, he had to wonder at the reason the bond had formed. What possibility did its presence portend?

The train pulled into the station, and Matthew heaved himself off the seat. Despite his exhaustion, he jogged the way back to his house, a spring in his step that hadn’t been there the day before. Reaching the house, he ran the final distance to the back porch, but pulled up short when he saw Jae at the dining room table. 

She looked up as he came in, and narrowed her eyes. Sitting at the head of the table, Adam observed him curiously, too. The table was littered with papers and Matthew realized they must have been taking time to go over the business as their father regularly did with both of them.

“Did you finally wake up to reality?” His sister asked, suspicious. What? Her comment made no sense to him. He shrugged, honestly confused, and sat down to join them. 

Jae tried to get a rise out of him a couple of times, once it was clear he hadn’t gone back to Jenna. Apparently, that was what she had been asking about when he entered. Matthew ignored her attempts to irritate him, and was relieved when she finally left. That is when Adam started, however.

“Mattie, there’s something different about you. Has something…happened?” Matthew looked up, surprised. Of course, something had happened, a major change to his life in some ways. Was he projecting that? Suddenly, he wanted to tell his father about Eleni. 

Then he thought of her request to remove the bond and thought better of it. He shook his head.

“Nothing in particular.”

**CITADEL 3020.07.25**

**DAVE**

Dave Kelly considered infinity.

The tall, blond young man, standing one foot propped up on the low ledge beneath the window, leaning forward, his arms resting against his thigh, cut a sharp, even commanding image, but he was oblivious to that. His eyes focused on the span of the world in front of him. Below, small bright squares floated in a sea of darkness. Above, tiny points of light made a grid of small triangles across the dark sky. The city was transformed into world of void and light. If you looked carefully at the grid above, you could see the real stars, shining in space far beyond. It was beautiful.  
Too beautiful for such an ugly city. 

_Eleni._

He imagined himself floating in that space in her arms again. It was tempting. It called to him. He closed his eyes against it. He had made his decision, and would not discover if his vision was true.

Dave Kelly had come to terms with the loss in the 3 months since Eleni had been killed. His grief was no longer so poignant, though his anger and hatred still burned hot. He had learned to channel them, to use them to focus himself on one goal. It had come to him slowly, as he had debated whether he even wanted to keep going with the life he led. If he didn’t succeed…well, there was only emptiness otherwise, so why not risk it all?

Ironically, he had his father to thank for his changed circumstance. Dave had finally agreed to meet him, for the first time since Eleni’s death, thinking it might be the last time he saw the man. In that conversation, his father had hinted that he had had a secret agenda for years. The suggestion of what he could do had taken root in Dave’s mind and grown into something that gave him new purpose.  
Now, it was time: time to crack open this ugly city and see what truly lay beneath. 

“When the sun rises at midnight,” he murmured quietly to himself, gently touching his earring. He didn’t know what the phrase meant, other than something impossible. That was more than appropriate, because Dave Kelly, in memory of the woman he loved, had decided he would settle for nothing less than changing the world. 

“Dave,” his father stood in the doorway, “I have a late meeting. You should head home.”

“I will. Soon.” The man looked concerned. Dave stood and smiled reassuringly, but his father wouldn’t let it go. He entered the large conference room, making his way around the tables that formed a large rectangle in the middle. It was strange to see the room with those tables boxing in the hard floor at the center.

“Dave,” Robert Kelly spoke softly, reaching out to grip his son’s arm, “I don’t think you should spend a lot of time here. I don’t want you chasing ghosts.” No, that would not work.

“I have a right to remember her.” He said, trying to project sincerity to the man who had taken her from him. “I won’t dwell.” His father nodded, and after his dark eyes studied Dave’s face for a moment, he excused himself and left. 

As Dave turned back to the window, his eyes caught sight of a door in an alcove on the side of the conference room wall to the left. Pain shot through his heart and he quickly turned away. Maybe his father had a point. He couldn’t allow himself to be distracted. 

Dave left the room, and went down the hall, passing his father’s office, and entering a small, enclosed hallway that backed the office on the other side, then into the concrete stairwell that accessed it, making sure to prop the door open slightly so it didn’t lock. He positioned himself next to the closed door to the side, and, taking out his phone, he read the banal messages his peers were sending out while he waited.

He didn’t bother to keep track of the time, but as soon as he heard footsteps on the stairs, he was ready. He rounded on a man just short of middle-aged with short black hair, light brown skin and dark, shallow eyes.

“Hello, Dr. Wagner.”

**KURT**

Kurt Wagner stared in horror at the young man standing in front of him, not believing the words he was hearing.

“I know everything. The secret meetings? It was never Katherine.” Dave Kelly’s eyes were ice cold, and as much as he tried, Kurt could not shake the feeling that the young man was serious.

“You wouldn’t! Think of your father!”

“I never stop thinking about him. And everything he did. Everything he failed to do!”

Nausea spread in Kurt’s stomach. The boy was only seeing what had happened at the end. He was refusing to remember the years before. Kurt tried to remind him, to get him to understand what his father had done, in spite of the fact that it had ended in disaster.

“He saved her life. He protected her! You don’t know what he went through to help them!”

“I don’t care because in the end he as good as killed her! And that is all that matters. Look, I know about you, and if you want to go on with your quiet life, it’s quite easy. I’ve already told you my demand. I want meet them. The ones you know.” 

Disbelief began taking over Kurt, displacing even his horror. He was being blackmailed by an 18-year-old. It was ludicrous. Further, he knew Dave, from a distance, yes, but enough that he would never had imagined him capable of using such disgusting methods.

He rubbed his hand through his hair feeling helpless, but looking for a way out. He tried once again to connect with Dave on some level.

“Dave. I’ve never been close, but I have watched you grow over the years. I believe you and your father can mend the break between you. Yes, it was a terrible tragedy, but don’t let it destroy you!” The words fell on deaf ears.

“Well then, it looks like there’s a conversation I need to have with my mother.” He turned to leave in apparent but uncaring disappointment. The coldness in his eyes froze Kurt to the core. He had no doubt the boy would do as he said.

“Wait!” Dave turned back, emotionless. “Why do you want to meet with them?”

“I just want to talk to them. That’s all. But I want to meet as many as I can.”

“Just talk? You promise that? These people, they already live in a shadow. Don’t cause them more pain.” The young man seemed honest in his response.

“I don’t want to put them in any danger. I just want to talk to them.” Kurt willed that to be the truth, but knew he had no choice. 

Defeated, the man lifted his hands in surrender. “OK. I’ll make some introductions. But if I receive any word that you are causing them problems, then…” The would-be threat died on his lips. Then Dave would share the secret he knew with his mother, and bring them all to ruin.


	7. Chapter 6

**MATTHEW**

“Let’s do that again. I didn’t get the rhythm quite right.”

Matthew nodded, and setting the music back to the start, took up his place next to Eleni. He was teaching her a new piece, and she appeared to be enjoying it. He smiled with satisfaction. 

In the two days since she had taken the pass card, not much had changed and everything had changed. Other than Eleni leaving with the group to get lunch, and sometimes breakfast and dinner, she stuck to the fourth floor and danced. 

Matthew was happy to accommodate her, himself enjoying the communication that now passed between them, even with Eleni’s hesitation about the bond. As he understood her personality in increments, he found himself fascinated. In particular, what he gleaned from her while she was dancing, just a soft sense that he couldn’t put words to, consistently made him want to know more.

Of course, they did converse regularly now, too. Sometimes Matthew enjoyed that, but for the most part it was proving to be a solidly functional activity, not a time to delve into introspection. Case in point, G had just short of given him orders to encourage her to hang out more, or at least find out why she remained so withdrawn. Matthew’s mood soured with the memory, knowing he had to find a way to bring it up in their next conversation.

They finished the choreography, and he turned to find her with a look of appreciation on her face.

“It’s a nice piece. Challenging.” He went over to the wall and threw her one of the metal water bottles she had lined up there, then took one for himself. She caught it, opened it and took a long drink.

“So, how about a break? Get out a bit?” She eyed him.

“I get out at meal times. That’s enough.” He didn’t feel anything of note from her as she spoke. The two days back dancing had also returned her emotional equilibrium, which was apparently controlled calm.

“It wouldn’t hurt to learn about the place you live now.”

“You’ve been teaching me.” During their breaks he’d been telling her about the DownMountain, mostly about how to navigate life there and the people who lived there. He’d even brought a map so she could orient herself. 

He opened his mouth to try again, but she headed him off.

“Actually, I have some more questions about this place.” Matthew sighed. Her questions had become part of their routine as well. 

Setting the bottle down and taking out a snack bar, she began. “So, you’ve been telling me about the DownMountain, but there’s another part, right? The UpMountain? Where you slink back to every night?” He winced at her unfortunately appropriate choice of words. “Why are there two?”

“Well, at the onset of the Devastation, when Magneto led his followers and the others he could save to the Montagne, they first built the DownMountain. It was built quickly, which is why is it just a set of reinforced, open caverns. Everyone lived here originally. Once they regained some form of stability,” not much from the way history was told “in addition to working on food sources they started building the UpMountain. It was planned and carefully constructed. The first part was completed just before Magneto’s death. His loyal followers, the Brotherhood, the Hellfire club members, and the like, they moved there. Everyone else stayed here.” Eleni took this in silently.

“And then they couldn’t build anymore? To make this place better?” Matthew had never thought about that.

“I don’t know. The DownMountain has been repaired over the centuries, and they’ve made it larger. That section that I told you about, the one that is unused at the moment? It is being rebuilt.” He didn’t mention that G and the gang often joked that, at the current pace of the construction, it wouldn’t be finished until the next millennium.

Eleni took this in, then switched topics.

“Where does the food come from?” He felt a flash of annoyance, at the one-sided questioning that had made up a significant portion of their conversations in the past couple of days. So, before answering, he countered with a question of his own.

“Is that an issue at the--,” a sharp look from her stopped him. “well, you know. Is it?” He wanted to know. She glanced at the doors and responded quietly.

“In the past, yes. There were several times they couldn’t support the population. In times of stability, however, considerable investment was put into expanding water purification and nutrition resources.” She replied quietly. He blinked for a moment at her language. She had sounded like professor or a politician. She must have been listening to the news somewhere.

“Um, I think it was similar here. They had hydroponics to start, but now there are indoor fields. Also, factories. All up beyond the UpMountain.”

“People from here don’t go there?” 

“They do. DownMountainers work the production units.”

Eleni was quiet for a moment, then switched to a different topic. Matthew nearly rolled his eyes, already tired of the activity.

“That big machine the man at the pass card office was using…was that a computer?”

“Yes.” 

“It was awfully big, wasn’t it?”

“Well, there are stories of the technology from the 21st century, tiny computers and all, but that hasn’t been retrieved yet. There are resource issues. The data saved from the Devastation has been carefully transferred over the years, but the devices described within haven’t yet been reclaimed.” He narrowed his eyes. “They have…?”

“They’ve reclaimed a bit more.” She glanced at him. “I still can’t believe you rely on books.” She had asked for an update on his research on the bond every day, and had been shocked to learn he had to visit a building and flip through pages to find what he was looking for. He was starting to understand why.

That research had not proved very fruitful so far. The most useful thing he had learned was that there had been psychic bonds that formed in desperation; a situation that almost forced the bond between two people as a matter of survival. There were two examples, and they had both faded over time, once the danger that had instigated them had passed. 

Eleni had been relieved to hear that, but had also admitted she didn’t want to wait and see if that would happen. So, his searching continued; he stopped by the library every evening on his way home.

“You know, G is a good source for this information as well.” Matthew said casually, again trying to fulfill G’s wishes. Eleni shrugged but didn’t respond. “OK.” He said slowly, then decided to be more direct. “Hey, I’m answering all your questions. Would you answer one for me? Not about the…other place.”

“Depends on what it is.”

“Why won’t you come downstairs?” She coughed on a bit of her snack bar. 

“I just don’t want to.” He raised his eyebrows. “I don’t want to get too attached to this place.”

“Why not? It’s your home now.” She looked away. He supposed she was having difficulty accepting that fact. “Look, G and his gang, they want to help you, too. And they are decent people. They’ve helped me stop acting like a sulking brat.” He was willing to admit that now. “Why not give them a try? If you don’t get along with them, well, then you know. No harm done.”

“I thought you said once I got the pass card I’d be left alone.”

“I said G would leave you alone. Not me.” He made a note to himself that G owed him for taking on this responsibility. Eleni shook her head in annoyance.

“I see them at meal times. It’s not like I don’t interact with them at all.” Matthew knew the lie of that. Eleni apparently continued to keep to herself at the cafeteria. Matthew leaned his head back on the wall he was sitting against, frustrated.

“What if I’m there? And I’ll stay.” He was confident he could find a way to make it happen.

“Why does this matter?”

“Because, you’re all alone up here. That’s no way to live. And where do you sleep anyway?” His irritation was getting the better of him, and he had gone too far. That question shut her down.

She glared at him and looked away in pointed silence. Determination born of his growing ill temper kept him pushing. “OK, well, I’ll just sit here until the end of the day, then figure it out.”

Outrage and anxiety bloomed across the bond. He felt mildly guilty, but did believe it was only the best for her.

Then she got up and walked away.

“Wha--? Eleni wait!” He had to run to catch up with her. “Where are you going?!”

“You going to follow me? Make me give up all my secrets?”

“I…I – no! I didn’t mean that.” His stomach went cold as he realized she had taken his irritated comment at face value.

She kept walking.

“Eleni. Eleni! I didn’t mean that. I would never do something like that. It’s…creepy.”

She finally stopped, but only to turn to him, glaring.

“It’s an intrusion. It’s controlling.” Matthew stood there with his mouth open. He would never have used those terms. 

When he didn’t respond, Eleni turned and continued on her way. He caught up with her again.

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” She looked like she didn’t believe him. “I promise I won’t try to find where you sleep, and I won’t stalk you.” 

“OK. I’m going anyway. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.” Matthew cursed internally.

“Elle, if you just want to dance then fine, we’ll just dance. OK? No more requests today.” She stopped and considered him for a long moment.

“OK.” She said. And that was what they did.

The next day, there was little talking as well, as Eleni even passed on her usual interrogation. She also skipped lunch. G was not happy when Matthew told him the reason why. He urged Matthew to try to get her talking again, to which Matthew objected.

“Look, it totally backfired, G.” 

“That’s because you are an idiot. What were you thinking, saying you were going to find the place where she sleeps, without her permission? That’s called ‘stalking’, by the way. Look it up.” The large man said as he paced his office the evening of the next day. Matthew cringed, the rephrasing making his irritated comment baldly abusive. “She stayed when you said you’d shut up and dance?” Matthew glared, but nodded. “Good move, that. You should do it more often.” Now he rolled his eyes, but G simply went on. “Dancing…we can make that work. I have a plan.”

So it was, the next day Matthew risked a new proposition to Eleni.

“Um…I teach some of the kids downstairs dance from time to time. They were wondering if you might show them a thing or too as well?” He smiled at her suspicious look.

“I thought we went over the whole going downstairs thing.”

“I’ll be honest. We would really like you to come down and join us as well. But this is just for the kids, I promise!” He smiled again, trying to put her at ease. “Please.”

She gave an irritated sigh and looked away.

“You were better when you just danced.” Her insult made him laugh, though it was a bit closer to G’s comment than he liked. He continued to grin at her, and the cold looks she gave him, until finally she threw her hands up in defeat.

“Fine! I’ll come down. Just to teach.” Satisfied, Matthew accepted the compromise.

And so, after lunch at the cafeteria, Matthew tagging along as he always did, they joined G, Tray, Bright and Patches in the common room to wait for the kids to assemble. There were no other organized activities that afternoon, and the kids who were there amused themselves with board games, books or simple crafts. The crowd increased through the afternoon, as kids who had other activities during the morning came in to join their friends. Matthew saw Eleni watching them with mild curiosity.

G took advantage of the opportunity.

“Thanks for coming down to socialize with the little people, Elle.” He said, jovially. She just gave him a look. Matthew felt her bristle slightly, he tried to signal G to stop.

“You should come out with us a bit. Hulio is performing tomorrow. It’ll be a good time.” Patches piped up. The man had positioned himself on the other side of Eleni from Matthew.

“No thank you.” Eleni replied flatly. Trying to cut the awkwardness, Matthew took control of the conversation and took the attention off of Eleni.

“So, Hulio is moving beyond singing in the shower, huh?”

“Yes,” Bright said eagerly. “We have bets on as to whether he’ll be scouted or not.”

“Really? I’ll get in on that.” Matthew had heard Hulio sing a few times for some of the kids who had an interest in music. He looked at Eleni. “You should hear him. He is really good. He writes his own songs.” 

“I’ll think about it.” 

“Suit yourself.” He replied, as he leaned over to Bright to get the details on the bet. While he was occupied, several kids came over to the group. Matthew recognized a couple of them, and realized they had been in the dance classes he occasionally taught. They were looking at Eleni shyly.

“Um, are you doing the dance class?” Matthew was mildly insulted. They could have asked him, too. He was surprised to register a small glow of welcome from Eleni.

“Yeah.” She said, and the kids led her away. Matthew made to follow, though he hadn’t been included in the invitation, but G stopped him.

“Tray, can you tag along?” He asked the young woman, who nodded and followed.

“I could teach, too.” G didn’t seem to notice the comment.

“This is good.” He murmured. “Hopefully, the kids will loosen her up a bit. We’ll keep an eye on things, and try to draw her back when they finish.” Slightly disappointed, Matthew went to settle his wager and Bright promised to bring it to the person who was managing the bet.

After the class, Eleni, on the pretext of having a group of kids give her a tour, managed to duck back upstairs before anyone could waylay her. 

“She’s slippery, that one.” G mused. “The dancing can get her down, but we need something to hook her.” The man’s eyes narrowed in thought. Matthew just sat and waited, not having any ideas. “Mattie, I have another favor to ask.”

Once he received the request, Matthew left and headed home early.

The next day things were better. After dancing in the morning, Eleni started asking him questions again, for the first time in two days. This time, Matthew felt relieved, not irritated. 

“How is it safe here? With everyone being mutants? I mean, I see it every day and it is not chaos, but what are the rules, what keeps people from using their abilities against others?

“It is forbidden to harm another using your mutant powers, or in any way, really. It’s just like breaking any other law. People only use their abilities if they make sense to use in daily life or are harmless. More powerful mutants, or those who can be used for specific purpose, are contacted by the government, and asked to work for them. So, you’ll sometimes see someone with super strength helping to build something, or someone who can freeze things creating ice. That sort of thing.”

“What stops people like you from using your powers to control others?” 

“It’s generally accepted to be bad form. It would destroy the society.”

“That’s it? They’re counting on some random person’s sense of decency?”

“No. Like I said, there are laws, of course, and the punishments are severe if someone is found to have been controlling others using their powers. Or harming them in other ways.” It had happened in the past, but he didn’t think it would be wise to mention that now, “People understand it is not sustainable. I mean, think about it, if everyone were afraid all the time of what we could do to each other, what kind of lives would we be leading?”

Eleni looked at him levelly. “Probably something like what they lead at the Citadel.” She spoke quietly, but for once didn’t try to avoid the title of the place she had come from. 

That gave Matthew pause. The Citadel had no tolerance for mutants. At the Montagne, they were taught about how this was a great injustice, especially as it was perpetrated by such weak beings. 

Eleni cast a new perspective on it. It was all based in fear. Fear of what the mutants could do to them. Fear of what many in the Montagne would do to them given the chance. He nodded gravely, though internally he had difficulty reconciling those two perspectives. 

They lapsed into silence, and Matthew was just about to suggest they return to dancing when Eleni asked another question.

“Why is this part of the DownMountain called the Sewers?” Matthew thought for a moment.

“Actually, I’m not sure.”

“OK. Why is it different from the rest of the DownMountain?” That he did know.

“This is where people who come in from the Wastelands end up. If they are not powerful mutants. Then they go UpMountain.”

“So, everyone here came off the Wastelands?”

“Or are descended from people who did. The Montagne has been keeping an eye on the Wastelands since the air purified a few centuries ago, and caravans started showing up out there.”

“Caravans like yours?” He nodded. “I’ve never heard of people living on the Wastelands before. I thought it was impossible.”

“Well, it is and it’s not. Apparently, short travel, I don’t know, a couple weeks, months maybe, is possible. But, you can’t live out there permanently, even with supplies. They say that the oxygen levels are low enough it slowly weakens you, and if you don’t have a source of food that is easy to get, you won’t last. So, the people who live out there must have some kind of covered, sealed structure, and a source of oxygen. I don’t remember living anywhere but here, though.” He tapped the floor with his finger, anticipating Eleni’s next question. “Now and then refugees show up. Usually something happened to the place where they were living, forcing them to move.” A batch had come in a few years after he had arrived. He remembered G talking about it. “For a while, only the mutants were accepted in, so long as they made a pledge of loyalty to the Montagne. Now everyone gets let in, with the pledge.”

“You mean non-mutant humans weren’t allowed in for a while?” He nodded again. “I suppose that is no surprise.”

“It only changed a decade or so ago.” The decision remained controversial.

“So, the people from the outside, and their descendants, are put in this not very nice area?” Matthew nodded, slowly. “The area around the station and in other parts are better kept.” She pointed out, as if he wasn’t understanding. He gave another reluctant nod. Eleni thought for a moment before continuing. “They aren’t treated very well here, are they? I saw someone being harassed, and a couple of Grey Arms standing nearby did nothing.” 

The Grey Arm was the policing arm of the military. Matthew had heard that G had filled Eleni in on them during one of the lunches, and warned her to steer clear of them. They kept the DownMountain relatively crime free, on their own terms.

Matthew finally nodded again, acknowledging what he accepted as normal every day.

Eleni gave a look of bewildered disgust.

“Why does that surprise you?” He asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

“We had the elite and everyone else, but there wasn’t this kind of disdain between those groups. Everyone had a right to a decent life, and the government helped make that possible, for _everyone_.”

“So, once they killed off the mutants, they had a perfect society?” He said, sourly, and was relieved when she went silent for a minute, thinking.

“There were some groups,” she finally said, “not mutants, others who were…discouraged. But they could still live decently. Provided they…stayed quiet.” Her voice trailed off towards the end.

Matthew was about to ask about those others, sensing some hesitation in Eleni’s response, but she changed the subject before he could. “Who are the people out on the Wastelands? Just random pockets of people that somehow survived?”

Matthew shrugged. “I don’t think anyone knows for sure, but they are called the Remnants, and the general thought is that they are descended from Xavier’s X-men and other followers—”

“The X-who?”

“The X-men. They were a band of mutant freedom fighters. Didn’t ally with Magneto unfortunately, but they did do some good work for mutants in ancient times. You’ve never heard of them?” Eleni shook her head.

“They became these…Remnants?”

“Yeah, or at least the lucky ones who weren’t in Haven when it was destroyed.” He looked at Eleni sideways, and added. “I hope that is one bit of technology the Citadel doesn’t recover.” 

A massively destructive bomb had destroyed the coalition to which X-Men had belonged and their solution to the failing planet, as well as the majority of a continent once known as Europe. It had also accelerated the downward spiral of the environment. Eleni looked at him, confused.

“I was taught that the Montagne was responsible for that.” Matthew turned his head to face her, and they looked at each other for a moment, both confused. Then Eleni looked away. “It doesn’t really matter now, does it?” Matthew grunted in agreement, and suggested they start dancing again, which they did until lunchtime.

As G had planned, a group of kids was waiting for Eleni when they returned from lunch. They again asked if she would do a class, and again she agreed. 

Standing next to her, he elbowed her slightly, then raised his eyebrows. She gave him a dubious look, understanding his request, which he returned with one of exasperated pleading. He thought a small smile tugged at her lips as she turned back to the kids.

“Matthew’s feeling lonely. Mind if he comes as well?” Muffled laughter came from G and the others as Matthew lifted his eyes to the ceiling. The kids agreed, however, and soon the two dancers were running them through basic positions, or basic steps, depending on whether they had come before or not. Tray came and watched, distracting the kids for a bit with her version of ballet. When the kids were obviously done, she caught Eleni and Matthew on their way out.

“G’s got chocolate.” That was all she said. Matthew narrowed his eyes and watched Eleni closely; that was the favor G had asked from him. Did the man really think it would work?

Eleni looked confused.

“What’s that?”

“It’s really good.” He supplied. “Come on, at least try it.” Reluctantly, she joined them.

Downstairs, they found G and Hulio. The small block of chocolate Matthew had brought was a smashed pile on the table in front of them. Eleni looked at it dubiously. Viewing it objectively, Matthew supposed that the pile of brown flakes had little to promote itself as it stood.

“It’s a delicacy, Elle,” G said, as he helped himself, “a perk of having a friend at the top.” He winked at Matthew.

Matthew gave G a withering look as he picked up a piece put it in his mouth. He enjoyed the flavor as it melted on his tongue. Eleni, and after watching them for a minute, took a piece as well. She sniffed it, then put it in her mouth. Matthew registered pleasure, and was satisfied for a moment, thinking G’s plan might actually work. 

What came next, however, made his stomach sink. A deep sadness blossomed within her before she could stifle it. She turned away.

“Eleni?” G asked. Matthew stopped himself from shaking his head knowingly; it was hard not to let on that he had a private window into Eleni. Instead he schooled his features to confusion and motioned for G to stay where he was. He followed Eleni back up the stairs. She didn’t go to the room where they danced.

“Eleni?” She stopped for a moment.

“I need some time alone. Please go.” Was all she said. She stood there, waiting, and he realized she expected him to leave. He didn’t want to.

“I…I felt your sadness. Maybe you shouldn’t be alone.” A flash of anger.

“I believe that is my choice.” Silence. Matthew didn’t move. “So, are you going to follow me, force me to give up all my secrets?” Her tone was bitter as she echoed her previous sentiment. He now regretted the threat he had made three days earlier.

“No. I’m sorry about that. I was…irritated. I will never do that, Eleni. I promise.” He hoped she believed him. He exhaled in resignation and accepted that the way to continue to repair that break was to do as she asked now. “OK. I’ll go. Take care of yourself.” She didn’t move or speak. He left.

His mood thoroughly down, he left the Towers and headed UpMountain to do some more research on the bond. Maybe he would find something that would prove his integrity to Eleni. 

It wasn’t until he reached the train that it hit him. Sadness, despair, love, loss. It took his breath away, the suddenness of it. He suspected she had been waiting until he was some distance away before letting her feelings go. He also suspected he would have felt the powerful emotions from anywhere in the Montagne, and probably far beyond.

The pain lingered. He knew she was crying and wished he was with her to comfort her. The pain was unlike the grief they had shared. He couldn’t put his finger on how it was different, but it was.

He didn’t block the sensation in any way, but let the emotions wash through the bond as they would. He tried to understand, to figure out how he could help, but came up with nothing.

**CITADEL 3020.08.01**

**DAVE**

Dave lay on his bed in his room at his mother’s house. It was done in cream and beige, with swirling accents, as much of the house was. He had spent considerably less time here than at his father’s over the years, and the room held little that said it belonged to him.

He had been careful to lock the door when he entered, even though his mother was at an event this evening. Her absence was reason he had chosen this night to dig out the small box he had left hidden in his suitcase, which had been stuffed at the back of his closet.

Now, he flipped through the small pile of photographs that the box held. It had been difficult for him to look at them for a while: the memories they triggered had sent him into waves of grief. He had learned to manage his emotions, and for the most part could now gaze at them calmly, keeping her alive in his heart.

Finding the photo he wanted, he paused. He had taken it soon after getting a phone with a camera built in, brand new technology, on his 17th birthday. No, that wasn’t right. He reordered his memories. They hadn’t been together on his 17th birthday. He winced at the memory of the stupid things he had been doing then. No, he had taken it as soon as he could after they got back together that fall. Almost a year ago. That thought felt like a lie. It had been a lifetime ago.

Eleni was dressed in her school uniform, a long-sleeved white button-down shirt and tartan plaid skirt. The scarf on her head was grey. He was similarly dressed, but in long dark blue pants. His tartan tie, a match to Eleni’s skirt, had been removed and was somewhere outside the picture. His shirt was unbuttoned at the top. They were both smiling up at the camera, a slice of his arm visible on the left where he held the phone to capture the two of them. His other arm was around her shoulders, and her arms held him, the front one crossing his chest to claps the other on his shoulder. 

It had been a dangerous picture to take, and after printing it out in his room, he had deleted it from his phone. This was the only copy he had.

His thumb came up to gently brush her face in the picture.

“Elle, I’m doing something big. You would probably laugh at me if you knew, tell me it’s pointless, but if it works it will change everything. I haven’t even started, so I don’t want to say too much, but I wanted to tell you. Wherever you are, would you wish me luck?”

He touched her face once more, and, holding back tears, he reached for the box to put the photos away. Bringing it up in front of him, he noticed something sticking to the bottom. Another picture. The back of it was white, like the bottom of the box, and had blended in. He eased the photo out with his fingernail and flipped it over. The memories took over.

_  
“She’s getting good, isn’t she?”_

_“Yeah, she is.” 13-year-old Dave replied, not really paying attention to his father’s words. The conference room had been cleared, the tables turned on their sides and pushed to the edge of the room. The chairs were stacked besides them. _

_In front of him, on the hard floor in the center of the room, Eleni danced. She wore a confection of pale pink tulle that floated down to her calves, the top made up of cloth of the same color and thin straps over her shoulders. She spun, leapt and drifted across the floor to the music. Her mother stood on the other side of his father watching as well._

_The truth was, the dancing hardly registered with Dave. It was the dancer who captivated him. _

_Her performance drew to a close, and they all applauded. _

_“Excellent, Elle. You are very talented.” His father said as she came over. She gave a small smile and thanked him. He looked at her mother in pride, who smiled and drew Eleni to her in a hug._

_A short while later the two adults left as they did, and the children sat side by side on the floor in front of one of the overturned tables as they did. It was the evening before a Rest Day, and there were only a couple other individuals left in the surrounding offices. _

_Dave was eyeing the distance between himself and Eleni. He almost rubbed his head in memory of a painful encounter they had had a few weeks back._

_“Did you really like it?” She asked._

_“Huh? Yes! It was really nice.” She gave a small smile. It was a game for him to make her smile, or even better, laugh. He tried harder. “You were far better than the dancers we saw at the ballet.” _

_He had begged his father to take him a few months back. It had been a performance he knew Eleni and her mother were attending as well. However, to Dave’s disappointment, his father seated them separately from the women, up in a private box. The young teenager had spent more time trying to figure out where the girl and her mother were sitting down below than watching the actual ballet. He had seen some of it, however, and felt he could answer truthfully._

_Eleni looked him square in the face, her head cocked, her eyebrows raised, her eyes flat, and he knew he had been wrong._

_“They were professionals.” She said like he was an idiot. She looked forward again, and he realized he had just missed a perfect opportunity. “They were amazing. I want to dance like that someday.”_

_“You will, Elle! You’re going to be the best.” The distance was good, he decided, and kept his head turned towards her. She rolled her eyes, but then looked down and turned serious. _

_“If I could perform like them, just once…that would be enough. That’s my dream.” He hummed in something like agreement, still turned in her direction. After a moment, she noticed him staring at her. “Is there something in my ear again?”_

_“No.” He said, blushing at the reminder of another failed attempt. He looked forward and sighed out, giving up. “I’d like to see you perform on stage.” He said honestly. He leaned his head back against the table, and turned it towards her. _

_She looked up at him, then leaned her own head back against the table. “You would?” He didn’t answer._

_He leaned forward and kissed her._

_When he pulled back, her eyes had gone wide with shock. The moment lengthened, and he panicked._

_“Elle, I like you. Like you more than a—”_

_“A ‘sister’?” She finished for him, having recovered. _

_“Yeah.” She turned her head forward again, but her eyes kept flickering back to him. He had never been so nervous in his life. “Do you like me? I mean, a lot?” His hands, resting in front of his knees, were gripped tightly together._

_“I don’t know.” Silence. _

_“Maybe, you could try and see?”_

_“I don’t know...” She repeated but more hesitant this time. Another long pause._

_“Do you want to?”_

_She looked at him again, then slowly leaned forward and kissed him. _

__

__

Dave lay sideways on his bed, tears drenching his pillow beneath him. In the photo, taken before their parents had disappeared, he and Eleni were sitting side by side in front of that over-turned table. Pink tulle cascaded down in front of her. His father had given her the dress for her 13th birthday, a few weeks earlier.

She had found that she liked him, a lot. They had snuck kisses from that point forward, and held hands hidden behind their bags as they sat in front of the table. Having grown up together, they already knew each other well, and otherwise their relationship had been much the same. To Dave, however, that acknowledgement that there was something more between them had been special and exciting. In retrospect, it was precious.

Tucking the photo back in the box under the others, he returned the sparse collection to their hiding place. He turned out the light, but knew he wouldn’t get much sleep that night.


	8. Chapter 7

**MATTHEW**

The next day, Eleni didn’t show up. 

G warned him when he arrived, but Matthew nonetheless danced for an hour or so before accepting that she wasn’t coming. He worried. The bond was distant – she was keeping her feelings under wraps – but he nonetheless felt hints of sadness, emptiness, and what he could only describe as dissolution. When he went downstairs, he found G worried as well.

“Damn. I thought everyone liked chocolate!” The large man said, exasperated. Matthew just shrugged.

“Something shook her.” He couldn’t reveal that he suspected they had triggered an unpleasant memory for the young woman. G put his hand to his mouth and paced. Matthew was struck by how deeply G felt a responsibility for the girl.

“I’m going to go look for her.” He announced quietly, hoping it would calm his friend as much as he hoped he would find the dancer. He told himself that, in spite of his promise to Eleni, leaving her alone was dangerous. 

Also, he was fairly certain that she was outside the Towers, meaning she was not in the secret place where she slept. He hoped she wouldn’t see it as a further infringement. 

G looked doubtful.

“We’ve tried in the past with no success, Mattie. Unless you are going to…” He waggled his fingers towards his head. Matthew shook his head firmly.

“No. I won’t do that. It might push her away more.” G nodded, and Matthew read relief on his friend’s face, “It might just end up being a walk, but I’m going to try. See you later.” 

Matthew began by circling the Towers. Using his powers, he might have been able to determine the direction she was in more efficiently, but as he had told G, he didn’t want to reach out to her that way. She felt tremulous to him, and he was afraid anything drastic might make her run again. 

Circling the building allowed him to sense which way she had gone by the wavering of the strength of the bond. It was subtle, in terms of distance, nowhere in the DownMountain would have been that far away, but using his telepathy internally to track the fluctuation in the strength of the bond, he was able to determine that she was somewhere straight down the center of the DownMountain from the Towers. He walked in that direction, and was satisfied when he felt a subtle growing of the bond in response to his increased proximity to Eleni.

A little more than halfway past the center of the DownMountain, he started to sense that the bond was fading. For a moment, he panicked, but then realized he had probably just walked past her location. He slowly walked back, and stopped in a small courtyard with a fountain in the middle. The Sewers had one large Washing Square, but the rest of the DownMountain had small ones in diminutive courtyards like this one. Some people even had enough plumbing to their homes that they didn’t need to come to the washing yards. 

There were several people there with their laundry, chatting as they worked, and a couple waiting to collect water from the nearby pump. He wished he had thought to bring a hat. The last thing he wanted was to draw attention to himself.

Slouching, he slowly made a circuit around the yard, and determined that Eleni was in the vicinity of one of the corners. A couple narrow streets branched off the area. He could have pressed further, but was conscious of giving her some space. He also worried it might start to look suspicious. 

Hoping she had seen him from wherever she was hiding, and would come out when she was ready, he picked up a couple of papers to read and settled at a small cafe. The server thankfully didn’t seem to recognize him, and Matthew bought a cup of herbal tea as there was no real tea or coffee DownMountain. Then he sat and waited. 

An hour and a half later, he registered surprise, and looked up to see Eleni standing in the corner he had targeted. She was staring at him; apparently she hadn’t noticed him earlier. He held his breath and was relieved when she started approaching.

Sitting down across from him, and her look turned flat.

“You used the bond.” She stated. He nodded.

“You felt…sad. I didn’t want to leave you completely alone.” He said quietly, willing her to see his sincerity. She glanced away, and didn’t say anything.

He noted that she felt better now. She was calmer, and the depressing emotions that had he had sensed before weren’t evident. He relaxed. 

“Why do you hide like that?” He asked gently.

She shrugged. “When I came here, I starting finding places where I could hide if something happened at the Towers. Though,” she looked at him, “that is meaningless now.” He determinedly ignored the comment and kept the conversation on track.

“Places like, the park we were at that night?” She nodded. “You just go there sometimes?” Another nod.

“A change of scenery.” She said, and Matthew was relieved to see her lips twitch. He gave a small smile as well, as he collected the papers he had been reading.

“Why don’t we head back to the Towers? G will be happy to know you’re ok.” 

“Actually, I’m really hungry. Was that tea? Do they have food here?” He quickly ordered up two more teas and some food, although there wouldn’t be more than dried snacks at this place. He was quite hungry as well.  
As the server walked away, Eleni spoke.

“I’ll find a way to pay you back for this. And for all the snack bars you and G have been leaving.” Ah, so she had figured out that those weren’t exactly handouts.

He waved his hand, dismissively. 

“It’s nothing. Seriously. I have too much as it is.” She looked at him, considering.

“At the Tower they said you are a rich playboy.” Matthew choked a bit on a seed, and ended up coughing. He opened his mouth to deny it, but found it wasn’t so simple.

“Do you think this is the life of a playboy?” Was reply he settled for. He decided it was time to set the record straight, and started thinking about what he would tell her.

“True.” She acceded, “They like you, though.” She continued, almost off handedly. “Said you’re weren’t what they expected once they got to know you. Bright likes you, a lot.” She looked around absently as she shared this information, but her eyes met his eyes at the last bit. He caught the glimmer of knowing humor in them and with surprise realized she was teasing him. He rolled his eyes.

“Not you, too.” She laughed softly, and he found he liked the sound. He prepared to give her the real story when she went on.

“Um…Bright is a girl, right?” Matthew blinked in surprise.

“No, they are non-binary.”

“Non-what?” 

“Non-binary. They don’t associate with either gender, male or female.”

“But…she was obviously born…a girl.”

“Were they?” Matthew was honestly not sure. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter.” 

Eleni gave him an annoyed look.

“How can that not matter?” Matthew sighed out in exasperation.

“You must have had people like that--.” Eleni cut him off with a warning look, and then shook her head. 

“We didn’t.”

“Oh, well, they just don’t identify. Some people transition. From one gender to another.” Eleni stared at him. “What was it like…there?” This was a normal occurrence in the Montagne. How could they not have them in their society?

Eleni changed the subject.

“Anyway, she—"

“They.”

“_They_ like you.” Silence. Matthew didn’t know what to do with that, so he returned to his original topic.

“Well, _I’d_ like to set the record straight on _me_, so here’s the truth, which I hope you will take in place of whatever they, all of them, told you. My family is wealthy.” There was no way around that. “My father owns the only vineyard in the Montagne, and people like their wine.” Her eyes widened at that.

“Wine is extremely expensive at the…where I came from.” She looked sad for a moment, and he tensed as he felt the edge of the same despair that had consumed her yesterday. 

“If you want some, just let me know.” He tried to joke. It seemed to work as she focused on their conversation again.

“Do you drink it all the time?” He laughed.

“Rarely, actually. My father did a lot of drinking when he was young, and regretted it.” Of course, what he had been drinking wouldn’t have been the high-quality wines of his family. It was other, less expensive types of alcohol that showed up at those parties. “Anyway, he steered us away from it.” 

“Us?” 

He nodded, “I have a sister. But we aren’t getting along at the moment.” She found that sad.

“I always imagined it would be nice to have a brother or sister.”

“You don’t have any?” She paused, then shook her head. He sensed hesitation through the bond, but also sadness. She was on her own, now, so it would do no good to dwell on people she could no longer see. He purposefully returned to the subject at hand.

“Let’s see.” He continued, pretending to consider, “what else should you know about me?”

“You are apparently a man of many…talents.” She supplied. This time the eyes were overly innocent, and clearly embarrassed. Matthew cursed G for sending Eleni to the group at the Tower, but he smiled ruefully, accepting the situation.

“You’d never believe I’ve only ever had one girlfriend, right?” Sure enough, that surprised her. “The girlfriend I told you about, we dated from the time we were…14 or so? Before that, though we still spent a lot of time together. There was no one else for me.”

“But she…” He nodded.

“That’s probably one of the reasons it hit me so hard. I was really committed.” He had assumed they’d get married once she finished school. Clearing his throat, he got on with the embarrassment. “And after I left her, she went and talk to the tabloids. About us. About the things we did when…we were alone.” He risked a glance at Eleni’s face. It had reddened, but what surprised him was the look and feel of horror she wore mixed with her embarrassment.

“They would publish that?!”

“Sure. If people will read it, they’ll publish it. And if it has to do with sex, then they know people will read it.” Eleni stayed quiet as she took that in.

“That’s disgusting.” Was all she said. Then, “She was completely out of line.” Realizing she meant Jenna, Matthew heartily agreed. He also didn’t understand why many people felt they were entitled to such private information, and found Eleni’s objections gratifying. 

Then she made a connection he hadn’t intended.

“You’re that famous? Famous enough that people would care what you did?” She immediately became nervous. She understood the implications. He pulled a breath in.

“I am,” He conceded, “or was. I haven’t been very interesting lately; I think they’ve forgotten about me.” He said hopefully. Eleni studied him, suddenly suspicious. She fell quiet, considering.

Their drinks and food came, and they ate in silence. Finally, Eleni spoke again.

“They never forget. They file you away for a rainy day.” 

“You have some experience in being in the spotlight?” That seemed odd.

“The lurid one.” She didn’t explain further. Instead she said quietly. “I don’t want extra attention, Matthew.” Matthew sighed in dismay. She had been starting to get comfortable with him a moment ago, but now her walls were back up. 

“Well, if we stick to the Towers, we should be fine. They can’t go in there.” She nodded at that, then looked out onto the courtyard spreading in front of them with a few people dotted about it.

“We should go back.” Her tone was terse. He settled the bill and they returned to the Towers in silence. 

G nearly knocked Matthew over as he pushed him out of the way upon their entrance. “Elle, thank goodness. We missed you today! And you were out with Matthew unchaperoned.” He glared at Matthew. “As your big brother, I see it as my duty to keep such instances at a minimum. Preferably nonexistent!” Matthew rolled his eyes.

“We were at a small teashop mid-DownMountain.” He said, partially in his own defense. He saw Eleni give him an inscrutable look. She was not one to give up information easily.

G nodded appreciatively, and then led them to join the usual group in the large common room. Matthew was surprised when she accompanied them without objection, but didn’t question it. They hung out for a short time, but when the group got into a heated debate about G’s interpretation of psychology – apparently this was a frequent topic – he saw Eleni duck out and followed her upstairs. He didn’t like where things had been left between them.

“Eleni,” he called up to her on the stairs. She paused, and waited for him. Together they made their way to the room where they danced. “Look, I didn’t mean to mislead you about who I am. It just…never came up. And, to be honest, it’s a part of my life I wish I could leave behind.” She sighed.

“I believe you. But we shouldn’t go outside the Towers together anymore. I really don’t want to end up in some picture, pasted all over the place.” He understood, though he felt a bit sad. He had enjoyed just hanging out with her earlier, having her tease him, hearing her laugh. He shook off the feeling. There was no reason they couldn’t do that here, too. 

She expressed her wish to go, and they parted for the day.

The next day, Eleni brought her toe shoes. After dancing without them for a while, she went to get them. He asked after the slippers as she prepared them and put them on.

“They are not doing great, but I can dance on them a couple more times before they are gone completely.” She sighed sadly. Toe shoes wore out quickly. He wanted to help.

“I can easily get more, if you give me those for sizing.” He was disappointed but not surprised when she shook her head vehemently.

“Thanks, Matthew, but no.” Then, reluctantly, “I’m going to talk to G about how I can make some credit. I’ll figure it out myself.” 

While he was glad to see her making a move towards accepting life here, internally he grimaced. He knew there were very few ways to make extra credit in the DownMountain until you had full time employment. With the exception of the Birth Proxy Program, which any woman over 16 was eligible to do. He did not mention that.

Also, she would need to open an account to accept the credit, which would require more information than he thought she would be willing to give. He didn’t mention these facts either, and went back to his dancing.

After the shoes were on, she ran through a set of exercises to accustom her legs to the different sensation of the hard toes. Then she suggested a song, and they danced choreography he had learned from her. It was a strange experience, for he was accustomed to partnering when he danced with a woman in toe shoes. He found himself wanting to move towards her at places where it would make sense for him to balance her or assist a pirouette. Of course, the choreography didn’t include that, and it would have just confused her. 

As they danced on, he admitted to himself, it wasn’t just his instinct to partner someone, toe shoes or no. He wanted to partner with Eleni. 

She was frowning over her shoes when they paused for lunch, and he guessed there was little life left in them. A memory caught him for a moment, and he made a mental note to check something when he got home. Then he got back to the matter at hand.

“Have you partnered before?” Might as well be direct. She looked at him and shook her head. “Do you mind if I tried balancing you?” He felt distinct pleasure and excitement from the bond, and knew she had wanted to dance with him, too. His mouth twisted in a smile he couldn’t deny.

“So long as these shoes hold out.” She muttered, but she stood and moved out onto the floor. “You’ll need to tell me what to do.” 

He asked her to do a simple relevé, explaining he was going to hold her at her waist. She did so, and he gently grasped her, getting a sense for her position, her strength, her control. All were excellent, and he strengthen his grasp allowing her to lengthen the time she spent on her toes. He took her through a few balancing poses, but didn’t go beyond that for the day. 

When they finished, he could sense that Eleni was extremely pleased. She even smiled a bit at him as she took off the shoes and massaged her feet. After a few minutes of cooling down, however she was as serious as ever.  
“Have you found anything new about the psychic bond?” He winced inwardly. Every day he hoped she wouldn’t bring it up. Every day she did. He sighed.

“No. I’ve exhausted the local options. I’ll have to find another place to look.” In the evenings, he’d been stopping by the library to see what books on telepathy he could find. The selection has been small, as he expected. He had brought the one book that mentioned psychic bonds to Eleni, and she had kept it a night to read through the section in question. It hadn’t offered anything more than what he had already told her, though it had listed the known psychic bonds and the people involved that had existed at the time the book was written, some 400 years ago. Matthew didn’t think there had been any since then; to his knowledge, he was the first telepath of notable power in centuries, and minor telepaths weren’t about to sustain psychic bonds.

Now, Eleni tipped her head back in frustration. “Where are you going to look next? Is there somewhere DownMountain I could search?” He shook his head at her second question. They didn’t even have libraries down here, except at the schools, and those were limited.

“The university. It will take longer, because its much larger than the local library, but I’ll check every section that might have something.” He made another mental note to apply for entry into the university library. Then he realized he could do it today. They were done dancing, and he didn’t think Eleni would visit the group downstairs. In her focus on dancing en pointe she had skipped breakfast and lunch with them again. He had brought more snack bars and suspected they would comprise her dinner.

“I’m going to head home. I’ll stop and get my pass for the university library in place.”

“OK.” Then she surprised him. “Thanks for partnering me today. I’ve always wanted to do that.”

He was pleased. “Well, that’s just the start, and I look forward to doing more with you. If you want.” He suddenly felt awkward, but was then relieved when she nodded. 

“I’d like that.”

After a quick goodbye, he left, passing Bright coming up the stairs. He guessed they were coming to collect Eleni to go get some food. Hopefully, Eleni would be persuaded. 

Matthew nodded to the young person, but was careful to do no more than that. He was glad Eleni had tipped him off to Bright’s interest. He would never have noticed, as they tended to be quiet and reserved, and the last thing he wanted to do was lead them on unintentionally.

He stopped at the university library on his way home. It was actually quite a distance out of the way, on the far western side of the UpMountain, whereas the train station, which was not so far from his own home, was on the east. He misjudged the distance and how long it would take, and barely made it before they closed. His application for a pass submitted, he jogged the distance home instead of taking a closed car, and was happy to discover he had arrived late enough to miss dinner with his sister. Adam updated him on a couple things at the ballet school and the vineyard, and Matthew listened as he wolfed down his cold food. Done, he helped clear the table, then retreated to his room where he spent the next hour cleaning out his closet looking for an elusive prize.

The next day the tabloid hit the stands.

**ERIC**

Eric Lensher stared at the magazine lying on the table in front of him. A handsome young man, dressed well, if casually, in somewhat rumpled clothing, was reaching out to embrace a young woman swathed from head to foot in a mis-match of clothing that was little more than rags. They appeared to be sharing an intimate moment, but he ignored that. His interest in the cover was mainly for the man. 

Matthew Summers had finally reemerged, though in a considerably less desirable way than he had left the public eye. Sulking was one thing; indulging in debauchery was another. The last thing the Head wanted was this person becoming further attached to the DownMountain. He needed to keep close eye on the wayward telepath.

Eric turned back to his breakfast as his nephew entered and spotted the tabloid. 

“Can I see that uncle?” 

“Good morning to you, too, Travis.” Eric replied as he handed over the magazine.

Travis flipped an impertinent smile at his uncle and called out a cheery ‘morning!’ in return. Then his gaze fell to the tabloid. He scowled and made a disgusted sound. 

“You’re joking. What is that idiot doing getting photographed like that? G was trying to help this girl, not throw her to the wolves. Go back to Jenna already you loser. You two deserve each other.” The muttered diatribe continued into the kitchen where Eric was no longer privy to the details. 

Eric briefly considered his nephew’s possible involvement in this minor scandal. Some of the Barons had objected to Travis’ own adventures in the DownMountain, but Eric was confident in the young man’s ability to keep his distance. And if he didn’t, it was a mistake best made while he was young and could recover fairly easily from the backlash. 

When Travis reemerged, he was balancing the open magazine on one arm, a cup of coffee clutched in the corresponding hand, and had a pastry in the other. Eric took the opportunity to learn what he could as the boy sat at the wooden table in the elevated, glassed-in porch that looked down onto the garden below.

“I didn’t realize you were friends with Mr. Summers there.”

Travis snorted. “Friends? With that playboy? No way. But he’s put this girl in a really bad position. She’s totally innocent of who he is and what being with him entails. Look at the way she is dressed! He’s handed them a feast. You can guess what they’ve written here.” He shared a choice tagline, “‘The real reason Matthew Summers hasn’t returned to Jenna Frost revealed: he prefers cheap and dirty!’” Travis threw the magazine down in disgust and nearly dropped his breakfast in the process. Then he took a sip of his coffee and continued to read the article.

Eric frowned, but in truth had little care for how the Summers boy purported himself or his nephew’s soft sensibilities. Neither of those things mattered in the long run. He focused on learning what he could.  
“Yes, it does seem that Mr. Summers has made an unfortunate decision. Does he have an attachment to the girl?”

Travis shrugged in response his mouth full. Taking a drink of coffee, he said, “I don’t know the details, only that G wanted to help this girl out. I doubt he intended it like this! I heard G roughed Summers up a bit a few days ago, so maybe it was connected. Hopefully, he gave her an education on the dangers of Matthew Summers as well! The man should come with a warning for crying out loud.” The last part was mumbled into the pastry.

Eric smiled at his nephew’s antics, as he came to the conclusion he’d get little that was useful out of the boy. 

In the seven years since Travis and his mother had come home to live with Eric, the man had determined the youth was in no way fit to be the next Head of the Montagne. So, he allowed his nephew to indulge in his hobbies, and did what he could to prepare him should leadership fall on his shoulders. With only Travis and his sister Tracy, the heir apparent, as options for future leaders of the Montagne, the chance that he would be called up was greater than Eric liked. He hoped that things would never come to that.

“Well, it will make for exciting reading.” He said as he rose to leave, ignoring his nephew’s disgusted look. He had simply stated the truth. He did hope, however, that they wouldn’t get as graphic as the last time. That had gone too far in his opinion.

Leaving the casual dining area, he passed through the large and well supplied kitchen, complete with room length island, and from there into the living room, part of which held a dining table for formal eating. Underneath the curved, floating staircase that led to the second-floor gallery, he opened a narrow door and slipped inside. At the end of a short hall, he placed his hand on a flat pad, which triggered a second door to unlock and allow him entry into the Lensher Study.

The small room was said to have been designed by Magneto himself. Save for a few books, it had seen meticulous upkeeping through the years. Hexagonal in shape, three of the walls were covered in shelves lined with rare volumes. The entrance came next, and the panel adjacent to that held a large video screen. The next panel was blank, and a display case stood in front of it, its glass encased contents lit, as always. A desk sat a few feet away from the display case, in front of the shelves. 

Carefully closing the door behind him, Eric proceeded to the desk to start his day. As he did every day he paused after sitting and pulled out his pocket watch. Opening the cover, he gazed at the picture held within. Then he closed it and tucked it away. Leaning back, he took a moment to ponder the problem of Matthew Summers.

At 18, the boy was technically an independent citizen now. Only the fact that he had effectively skipped the last semester of compulsory schooling meant there was any kind of administrative hold on him. Eric briefly cursed the fact, as he had many times, that Matthew had ended up with Adam Summers. Pushing that old frustration aside, he focused for a few moments on finding a way to pin the young man down.

Unable to reach a satisfying resolution to the issue, he absently reached down to unlock a drawer to his left, and took out a special report from his desk. It had originated in the Citadel. Eric gave one last thought to the Summers boy, then turned his attention to this new and equally disturbing problem.


	9. Chapter 8

**MATTHEW**

Matthew stared at his father, refusing to speak first.

He had taken his time getting ready, distractedly trying out a couple new items of clothing he’d gotten, and determinedly trying to miss meeting his sister before she left for her military training program. The latter effort had met with success, but in the interim, unfortunately, the morning news had been delivered. When he had entered the casual dining room at the back of their house, he had been surprised to see Adam still there. He had thought his father would already be gone, to the vineyards that day. Then he had spotted the magazine lying at his place at the table.

He and Eleni were featured prominently on the front, and he recognized the captured moment immediately: that morning after they had discovered the bond. He remembered reaching out to her like that; he hadn’t meant to, it had just happened, and he had only touched her arms. In the picture, however, it looked like he was about to embrace her. 

_I don’t want extra attention, Matthew._ Now it was too late. He looked up at his father.

“Who is she?”

“A girl I met DownMountain.”

“In the Sewers.” Adam clarified. It did make a difference. “Matthew, please don’t be evasive. It appears that you care about her. And if you do, you need to tread with caution.” 

Matthew looked away. He hadn’t meant to be evasive, but he had to be careful about what he revealed. They weren’t his secrets he was trying to keep.

“We are just friends. Honestly.” Adam looked doubtful. Matthew glanced at the picture again. The way he was looking at her did suggest something more than friendship. He gave a small, hopeless laugh at the lie the world now believed. “She’s a ballet dancer.” He added. “That is why we connected.” That was true, and not giving anything too private away. 

He stopped there and waited for Adam to speak. The man still looked dubious. He probably didn’t believe Matthew’s comment about dancing either: there were only two dance schools DownMountain, but they were unlikely to take anyone from the Sewers. He had looked the information up after Eleni had asked. The remaining schools were all UpMountain, totaling 4. One was very small. 

“Does she understand the position you’ve put her in?” Matthew reluctantly shook his head. Eleni had been somewhat familiar with tabloids, but he didn’t think she understood what it was really like when you were the story they wanted, or what her supposedly being from the Sewers would mean to the rest of the Montagne. 

He hoped he had been right about her sleeping somewhere in the Towers. She would be inaccessible there. Yesterday she had made sure not to leave the Towers with him, today she probably wouldn’t be leaving them at all.

“I’ll talk to her today. See if she wants me to keep my distance.” His stomach twisted at the thought.

“Good. If you two are just friends,” again the dubious look, “that would be for the best. Get this to blow over a quickly as possible.” Adam took the opportunity to introduce another topic. “Mattie, school’s starting again in a few weeks. You’ve been doing so much better the past couple of months. I was really worried about you after you left Jenna, but you’ve worked your way through it. I think it is time to get the rest of your life back on track.” He meant, transfer back UpMountain, finish secondary school and start university courses. Matthew sighed. It made sense. All of it. That didn’t mean he wanted to do it.

“I’ll think about it, dad. I’ve got to go talk to Eleni now.” Adam nodded sagely, and let his son go.

Matthew tried to pass the train ride not thinking about anything. Especially not about purposely putting Eleni out of his life in order to keep her out of the spotlight. And it would be lurid. He wondered at her comment. Who had she been in the Citadel, other than a hidden mutant? Hadn’t that been enough? 

A couple minutes into the ride, he felt a spike of horror from the bond and he knew Eleni had seen the tabloid. He looked sadly at the bag he had placed on the seat next to him. At least he could give that to her. Maybe it would make her final impression of him better.

Getting off the train, he walked purposely through the DownMountain. The tabloid photographers were obvious now, waiting as he had known they would be. Many immediately started pressing buttons on their message motes, devices that could send short typed notes. He ignored them. They knew where he was going, and the truth was he had absolutely nothing to hide. That made the scrutiny a bit easier to bear, although he also knew the sentiment was meaningless. They would make it what they wanted to make it, no matter the truth.

A group of photographers were clustered around the Tower entrance he always used. Matthew suspected the other entrances were covered as well. Feeling angry and annoyed at the intrusion into not just his life, but that of Eleni’s and the kids who used the Towers, he strode the last few feet and stepped into the safety the buildings provided. 

Of course, he was then grabbed by his collar and shoved up against the wall. He had expected that, too.

“G, really, I haven’t done anything new. Put me down.” His friend glared for a minute, but did release him.

“Doesn’t mean I have to pass up a chance to make you shake in your boots, Summers.” Matthew just rolled his eyes. “I’m not so sure about the not doing anything new part, by the way. Exactly what were you and Elle doing the other day at that DownMountain teahouse.” Matthew winced. He hadn’t thought about that. There would be more pictures – those hadn’t made it into today’s article.

“We just had tea and talked, honestly, but it was the two of us sitting at a small table…” It was G’s turn to roll his eyes. 

“Mattie, I don’t know if you are worth the trouble, man.”

“Hey, as I recall, you were the one who came looking for my help.” G acted as if Matthew hadn’t spoken.

“I gave her a copy of the magazine. You have fun up there.” The last was said in a tone that suggested fun was the last thing Matthew was going to have. Matthew wished G had let him fill Eleni in in his own way. Sighing, he mounted the stairs.

As he approached the room, he was suddenly hit by a wave of feeling from Eleni. Longing, wistfulness, desire, tinged with sadness and guilt. It was another burst of emotion that took his breath away. He paused. The feeling lingered for a minute before it subsided and Eleni’s emotions were once again opaque. Discontentment was the only thing that shone through in the aftermath.

He found her sitting at the edge of the ballroom, staring at the magazine cover. When she saw him, a look of exhausted annoyance crossed her face.

“Matthew.” The resigned statement made him feel terrible.

“Are you angry that I came?” He could have turned around, he realized. After knowing how she felt, he could have gotten back on the train home and left her in peace. The thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. Maybe that is what he should have done.

“No. I’m not angry.” She said softly. “It’s just that…everything is working against me. First the bond, and now this.” She gave a small helpless laugh. “I just wanted to dance, was that so wrong?”

Her desolate question didn’t make any sense to Matthew, however he was relieved her anger wasn’t directed at him. He went over and sat next to her. She handed him the magazine.

“I couldn’t bring myself to read the article. What’s the damage?” He tried to be as forthcoming as possible.

“Worse for you than for me. They think you’re a fling I’ve picked up in the Sewer. It makes me seem scandalously degraded.” He paused, then added an explanation before continuing. “UpMountain, they always assume the worst about the Sewers.” Eleni nodded. “Well, even if we were a couple, which we’re not of course,” he quickly added. Eleni widened her eyes at him, willing him to get to the point, “they wouldn’t see it as a relationship. Not a real relationship, at least.” 

“They think I’m some kind of,” she paused, apparently looking for a word “…sex worker.” Matthew started at her bluntness, but then nodded. A look of pained humor crossed Eleni’s face.

“Give me the word.” She demanded. Language-based abilities needed to hear the words before they could use them. He didn’t want to do that. “They are going to be using it; I’d rather know it ahead of time than learn it from them.”

“Whore.” He nearly whispered it. She shook her head in disbelief.

“Maybe fate’s trying to tell me something.” She mumbled to herself.

“What?” She shook her head.

“Nothing. So, they know about me. That I’m here at least.”

“They’ll probably forget you pretty quickly, so long as…” He tipped his head to the side, as if that somehow made the rest of his sentence clear. Nonetheless, Eleni had already reached the same conclusion.

“…so long as you stay away. It’s you they are really after.” He nodded. She fell silent.

Given her reaction to the bond and her desire for privacy, he had been preparing himself against her immediately sending him away. However, she didn’t.

She sat for a long moment looking at the magazine he held. Her control was on her emotions, but he sensed distant resistance; she was torn.

“There is still the bond.” She murmured. They had to be together to find a way to remove it. Matthew reluctantly worked that out.

“I could contact you through G if I find anything helpful.” Her head moved slightly but she didn’t look at him.

“That’s what we should do.” She whispered. It didn’t sound definitive, however, and Matthew took advantage of her indecisiveness.

“Eleni.” He spoke softly. “I’m really sorry about this situation. That it is so distressing to you.” She tried to shake her head and move away, but he stopped her. “Look, I’m here now, so the damage is done for today. Let’s dance for a bit, and then figure out what you want to do about this.” 

“What _I_ want to do? This doesn’t bother you at all? Everyone thinks you’ve got your own private Sewer whore, when before you were some kind of golden boy.” He stiffened at her bluntness. He shook his head.

“Any golden boy was an illusion. And all of this is a lie.” He snapped his hand at the magazine in disgust. “As long as the truth is between us, I don’t really care what they think. And,” he took a deep breath, “I consider you a friend. I like dancing with you. I’d rather not lose that.”

She tipped her head back so it was resting on the wall, and observed him.

“I like dancing with you, too.” He looked into her blue, blue eyes for a moment. He wished she had said he was a friend as well, but took what he could get. And her comment reminded him of the package he had brought.

“Here.” He said, pushing the soft bag at her. She picked her head up, looking at him in confusion. “Jenna left this at my house over a year ago. Long before we broke up. She’s not going to come looking for it at this point. And she has tons of this stuff anyway. Her family owns fields of hydroponics. Another top earner, right up there with vineyards.” This last part was mumbled, with a self-deprecating tone to it. Eleni just looked at him, and he placed the bag in her hands. “The clothes might fit, too, but I was really hoping you would be able to use the shoes.”

Finally understanding, she opened the bag. She took out a couple of leotards and tights, then two pairs of toe shoes along with extra ribbon and elastic. There were some other accessories in the bag, but she ignored them, focusing only on the shoes. One of the pairs of shoes had seen some light use, the other was new. 

Tabloids forgotten, Eleni immediately tried the used pair on. She flexed her feet a few times, but then paused and fell into some sort of trance as she stared at her feet. Guilt started to leak through the bond. Did she feel bad about the shoes?

“Don’t worry about using them. Jenna has completely forgotten, so best that they are used by someone who appreciates them.” She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, and her feelings once again fell opaque. “Do they feel ok? Can you use them?” He couldn’t hide his excitement, and Eleni smiled a bit as she replied.

“I’ll just need to break them in a bit more, and adjust the ribbons and elastic, but I have everything I need here.” She looked at him, and felt decisive. “Give me a half hour, and we can dance.”

They danced the whole morning, and ate snack bars for lunch. Eleni had no stomach for the public trip to the cafeteria. She did agree to head downstairs for a time in the afternoon, though Matthew noticed some of the kids giving them looks. G and his gang were for the most part unfazed. With the exception of Patches.

“I knew it, Summers.” He sneered under his breath, as Elle was talking to G. “You’re bad news for her. Why are you still here, you selfish bastard?”

Matthew gritted his teeth, and didn’t dignify the young man’s comments with an answer. Scarlet noticed the exchange, and for once was helpful.

“Hey, Patchy, you asking god’s-gift-to-all-who-appreciate-the-male-form there how you, too, can end up as front page news? Not that hard, you know. Get him outside and kiss him. Here, I’ll show you.” Somewhat helpful.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Scar. Keep your hormones in check; we don’t need any more attention here.” As G pulled both Scarlet and Patches away, Matthew saw Eleni slip back up the stairs. He followed.

“That was a close one.” He said as he caught up with her. She gave him an unsympathetic look.

“From what I hear, you always need help to get yourself out of those situations. Which suggests you don’t really want to get out of them.”

“Hey now, that’s not fair!”

“Oh? How so? You can just walk away.”

“I don’t want to be rude.”

Eleni looked at him strangely as they entered the room they danced in.

“You’ll put up with harassment to keep up appearances?”

“Well, no, but…that’s all just for fun. I know that.” Except for Patches, but Matthew didn’t think Eleni realized what was going on there, and he preferred it that way.

“It really doesn’t bother you?”

“No. It doesn’t.” Eleni wrapped her arms around herself. 

“It would bother me.” She said. Then, “I’ve decided.” It took Matthew a moment to understand to what she was referring.

“And…” He said slowly, “am I banned?” She eyed him, but gave a small smile.

“No. But we really have to make sure we are never out together, or near any windows they could see in.” The tabloids weren’t supposed to do such things, but Matthew didn’t argue with Eleni’s caution.

“Deal.” He said firmly. He couldn’t help but grin broadly. “Then let’s dance.”

A couple hours later, as he walked home from the UpMountain station, Matthew recalled the day and found himself smiling in relief. He really hadn’t wanted to stop seeing Eleni. Considering her situation, he started contemplating other ways to help her, beyond slowly coaxing her into life in the Sewers.

“Is this some kind of sick joke, Mattie?” The familiar voice dripped with disgust, and Matthew’s stomach sank with the realization his sister had just caught up with him.  
“It’s not, Jae. She’s a friend.”

“A _friend_.” Came the sneered reply, suggesting that Eleni was anything but a friend. “If all you wanted was a roll in the dirt, you could have done the Birth Proxy Program. Or is that it? You’re trying to get her to sign up? I know there are people up here, even a Baron, who have regulars down there.”

“No! I’d never do that!” Matthew nearly yelled his denial of his sister’s disgusting suggestion. When his eyes met hers, he saw the same emotion mirrored there.

“Well it would probably be better that way, though Jenna would never take you back then!”

“Maybe I don’t want Jenna to ‘take me back.’”

“Then you are even more of an idiot than I thought possible.” She snapped. Then she laughed in disbelief. “You know, I looked up to you so much. I thought you had the perfect life; good-looking, popular, well-connected, in spite of all Adam has done to jinx our chances and keep our legacy buried. Anyone who wanted a man, wanted you, but you had a hot item on your arm and were loyal to her. So, flirt all you would, maybe even mess around a bit at a party, everyone knew it was you and Jenna going home together, and that was cool. And, to me, that was right. _You_ were right.” 

She shook her head. They had just reached the house, but instead of rounding to the back, Matthew, teeth clenched, stalked up the front steps hoping to get away from his sister, and at the least get them out of the public eye. Jae followed him. “I could not comprehend why you wouldn’t go back to that. I thought you were doing the stupidest thing possible. But now, this?? It turns out your stupidity is infinite.” 

By her tone, Matthew understood that his supposed affair with Eleni had truly shocked his sister. She almost sounded hurt. He didn’t care, and tried to block her words out as they entered the door. “You realize you are turning yourself into some kind of lecher, drooling over a girl who can’t even afford decent clothing? She looks like she hasn’t taken a bath in ages. Maybe never. You like getting that grime on your--?”  
Having passed through the doorway, he rounded on his sister, and cut off the rest of her comment.

“Don’t you talk about her like that!!”

“What other way is there to talk about her?!” His sister yelled back, as she pushed him back. “How long have you been having her up against the concrete walls of that decrepit building?! Does it turn you on to screw her on top of the trash heap?” 

“That is not what is happening, and if anything, you are just proving yourself to be filth by saying such things!” His pushed her back, but quickly stepped away as she reached out to grab his arm.

They continued yelling at each other, Jae’s comments getting increasingly revolting, and their interactions increasingly physical, until Adam walked in 10 minutes later.

“STOP THIS!” He roared at his children. “I could hear you out in the street.” Matthew felt justified when Adam fixed Jae with a horrified look. “Jae, how can you say such things?”

She looked back defiantly. “I’m just stating the truth.” She hissed, before she stormed up the stairs.

Adam stood where he was, breathing deeply for a moment. When Matthew turned to go into the dining area, his father stopped him.

“Matthew, next time, just walk away.”

“I tried to.” His father looked at him.

“You weren’t trying that hard.” He sighed. “Matthew, are you going to stay away like we talked about this morning?” Matthew didn’t answer. “Jae was wrong to say those things out loud, but we both know everyone is going to be thinking them.” In the face of his father’s plea, Matthew felt himself crash back to reality. 

“I know.” Matthew said, resignedly. Then, “Look, dad, we aren’t going to out in public together again. We do want to dance, and I help out at the center, with the kids. We’re going to keep doing that and see how that goes for now.”

Adam looked doubtful, and tried to talk him out of that meager concession as they went to prepare dinner together.

**CITADEL 3020.08.07**

**DAVE**

Dave looked out onto infinity again. Tonight, not long from now, he would get the information he needed from Dr. Wagner to start his crusade. There was time yet, however, and Dave was back in the large conference room that held so many memories for him.

He looked to his left, but this time his eyes didn’t avoid the door in the alcove there. His teeth clenched as he tried to manage the emotions that rose up in him. Taking a deep breath he turned and approached the door. He couldn’t let these feelings control him. He couldn’t afford that. The best way he knew to deal with them, was to meet them head on. 

He opened the door and entered.

The small room held a couch and a table. There was a door across from and one on the wall to the left. To the right was a large window looking out over the city. 

He crossed the short distance, and sat on the couch. Tears pressed against his eyes, but he held himself rigid to hold them back. He wouldn’t go meet Dr. Wagner with his face ruined from crying. This was a sort of test for himself, to see if he could manage the emotions enough so that he outwardly appeared composed. It was a highly useful skill to have.

He succeeded. The tears remained at bay, and his face slowly relaxed. The memories, remained, however, and his sifted through them at random. He had so many, but his mind groped back to the first. 

_“I wish, I don’t know, that we could do more.” Dave threw the dissatisfied comment out into a pause in the conversation. Eleni, sitting next to him in her leotard and tights, looked over, her face still._

_They were sitting in the conference room as they nearly always did when they met at his father’s office. Sometimes they did homework together at the table found out among the desks, but this was where they had their conversations and spent most of their free time together. It was very public. Dave sighed in frustration._

_School was over for the summer and they had just passed Dave’s 14th birthday. Eleni had given him a mix of songs on a disc for the small music playing device he had. He listened to it every chance he got, and was spending more time at the office building. Time when he could be with her, and at the same time couldn’t._

_“We can’t,” she finally replied. _

_“I know.” He didn’t know why he had made the comment to begin with. _

_A couple of Dave’s other friends had girlfriends, and he saw them at the occasional youth gatherings, sitting together in public, holding hands as they walked down the street. It made him aware of the things he couldn’t do with Eleni._

_“Dave, we can stop.” When he looked at Eleni, her eyes were trained on the floor._

_“No. I don’t want to.” He said. “Do you?” He didn’t like how this conversation was making him feel, and wanted it to stop. Their time together was limited as it was, and he wanted it to be good._

_She hesitated, then shook her head, not daring to speak the words. They sat in silence._

_“There is something…” Eleni started. She sounded nervous, unusual for her. “These nights, there’s almost no one here…they never check on us.” She was right. The nights when their parents disappeared were the best because he could relax and talk to Eleni about nearly anything so long as they were quiet. Or they could sneak some extra kisses as the hallway was usually deserted. But he didn’t think they could risk anything more than that._

_“There’s another conference room off of the small room I use to change.” He knew that, too, but again didn’t understand how it was significant. “That small room can be locked.” Her voice had gotten quieter as she spoke, and she whispered these last words. Dave froze as he finally understood._

_To the left of where he sat there was a door in an alcove that led to a small lounge. It had a small bathroom off it, and Eleni went in there to change her clothes when she danced at the office. The lounge didn’t exit to the hall because there was another conference room on the other side that wrapped in front of it. So, both the doors of the lounge opened to another conference room, and, apparently, they could both be locked. _

_Eleni cleared her throat._

_“To be safe, you could put your bags in the other conference room, like you’re doing your homework in there…” They could be alone, with next to no worry of someone overhearing them or seeing them. He started to feel excited. Why hadn’t he thought of this?_

_“I’ll go put my bag in there now!” Eleni’s head snapped up at his sudden exclamation. In spite of the fact that she had put the suggestion out there, she looked hesitant, almost guilty._

_“Now?”_

_“Yeah! We have at least another hour. Um, we should probably set an alarm.” Now his brain was working out the details. Eleni was quiet. “You do want to, right?” After a moment, she nodded._

_“I do.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed it._

_“I’ll be in in a few minutes.” And he left. After pacing the adjacent conference room for minutes that seemed like hours, he went over to the lounge door and knocked. Eleni’s voice responded from within. He entered and locked the door behind him._

_She was back in her school uniform, and standing looking out the one window in the room. The scarf on her head was a deep blue that day. She turned when he entered. They walked towards each other, meeting in the middle of the room. _

_Suddenly awkward, they stood there looking at each other for a minute. Eleni’s hesitancy had tempered his excitement, but having her there in front of him with no worry of who might see, he did something he had wanted to do for a long time._

_He hugged her. Not one of the quick embraces they had always shared. A lingering enjoyment of simply being close to her, of holding her. Her hands came up to rest on his back, and he felt her head relax onto his shoulder. They stood like that for a long time._

He felt wetness on his cheeks, and realized his control had slipped. He pushed the memories away.

Wiping the tears from his face, he stood and paced, breathing deeply. After regaining his calm, he checked his face in the bathroom mirror, then left the small lounge.

A minute later, Dave again entered the stairwell behind his father’s office. This time he let the door lock behind him, and descended the stairs.

At the bottom, he stepped out into the alley outside and a hooded figure quickly approached him in the dark.

“Here are three contacts. They will be expecting your call.” Dave took the piece of paper Kurt Wagner shoved towards him, barely believing that his ploy had worked. He didn’t let his feelings show on his face. 

“This would be a lot quicker if you could just message me the information.”

“No. I won’t risk having it on any computer system.” Looking down at the piece of paper in his hand, Dave didn’t press the issue. “And you need to destroy that piece of paper when you are done. You said you just wanted to talk to them, not endanger them.”

“I do. I’ll need more. Meet me here again in three weeks. Thursday again.” Kurt looked at him, then sighed in defeat.

“I’ll be here.”


	10. Chapter 9

**MATTHEW**

“Nice! Now this time, I’m going to stop you after three turns.” 

Over the next week and in spite of the tabloids, Eleni seemed to relax a bit, and come to terms with her new life in the Montagne. There had been a couple more tabloid stories: the tea house pictures had come out, followed by ones of Eleni walking with the group from the Towers. The latter had proven less than satisfying for the public, and there hadn’t been any more after that.

Eleni plied in front of him then pushed up into a relevé and spun as he grasped her waist and assisted with the turn. 1, 2, 3 he stopped her. Unused to the experience, she went slightly off balance, but recovered quickly. When she stepped away and turned to him, she was grinning.

“That felt good, even though I slipped up at the end. Let’s do it again.”

Her clothes were a bit improved. One day after lunch, G had finally convinced her to visit the clothing recycling center. She had stuck to dark colors, but the clothes, used as they were, were in much better repair than her previous ones. The clothing from Jenna’s bag apparently hadn’t worked out for her, and she still danced in whatever she wore that day.

G had also got her to go to the medical clinic, and she was now vaccinated against some of the diseases that had threatened the Montagne’s population in the past.

Eleni took up position and spun up into another pirouette. They usually practiced without the toe shoes, and stuck to fairly simple partnering techniques, but today Eleni had insisted she wanted to try partnered pirouettes en pointe. Matthew tried not to feel guilty or nervous about teaching her, especially when the material became more advanced. He had decided he wanted to introduce Eleni to his dance teacher, and suspected the instructor would not take kindly to his attempts at teaching ballet.

“I’m thirsty.” He said after a few more spins, and Eleni nodded.

They went over to the side and sat, drinking water. Eleni examined her shoes, then took them off.

“That’s probably enough of that for today,” she said. They’d been practicing with them the entire morning. Pretty soon G or someone would be coming up to collect her for lunch. Eleni surprised him.  
“Let’s go down. We’re done here for now. Maybe some of the kids will want a short lesson.”

“Sure.”

After collecting their stuff, they descended and made their way to the common room. There, Patches, Bright and Tray were pouring over a pile of magazines. Matthew’s stomach went sour when he saw them up close.

“Summers, here,” Patches said, shoving one at him, “a little jaunt down memory lane.”

“Did you bring these?” Matthew returned, pushing the thin volume away, “Didn’t know you were a fan.”

“Someone left them by the front door.” Bright supplied. “We were just waiting for G or Scarlet to find out what to do with them…” 

“And looking for the good parts while you were waiting, no doubt.” Matthew responded, a bit angry.

“No! These are all from at least a year ago!” He ignored the hurt on Bright’s face, but did glance at the magazines. What they said seemed to be correct. Eleni had pulled one out and was staring at it. He went and looked over her shoulder.

He and Jenna filled the cover, posed and in full ballet costume. Jenna’s auburn-brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun. Her face tended towards a triangular shape, with delicate features and stunning hazel-green eyes that were shallow and had a slight slant to them. Her skin was tawny and warm, which suited the costume she wore, resplendent in reds, oranges and some yellow. He was dressed in black with ornate gold detailing. It was from The Firebird, one of the two youth performances he and Jenna had starred in over the past couple of years. 

He felt a pang looking at the picture. Even with the bitterness he felt now, he recognized that his life then had been very, very good.

Eleni’s finger reached out and traced Jenna’s costume. He wondered if she knew at whom she was looking. He didn’t explain. As she moved to speak, he thought she might comment on his former girlfriend’s beauty. He was wrong.

“What is it like to perform?” She said it quietly, almost reverently. He remembered back.

“It depends, somewhat. Each performance is different. But it’s a huge amount of pressure, a huge amount of stress.” He had loved it. “It’s also a huge rush.” She nodded and he looked at her thoughtfully. Before he could say anymore, however, G arrived.

“Hmmm? What do we have here? Did they leave the juicy bits?” Matthew, irritated, stepped in.

“They’re from over a year ago. They all feature Jenna and I on the cover.” A brief glance had made that second fact clear.

“Ah, trying to get you to see what you are missing. And,” G peered at him intrusively, “are you missing?” Matthew just glared at him.

“Eleni, there’s another room that I think would work well for your lessons with the kids.” Matthew overhear this comment, and when he turned, Patches was leading Eleni out of the common room. He moved to follow them, but G stopped him.

“Down boy.” G murmured, eyeing him, “we’re just trying to get her more comfortable down here. They’ll be back in a moment.” A pause as G studied him. “Maybe you’re not missing so much.” Not trying to understand G’s comment, he started gathering up the tabloids, keeping one eye on the door through which Eleni and Patches had left. 

Bright and Tray tried to thwart his efforts by slipping magazines under the table.

“Aw, come on, Summers. They’re fun!” Tray protested.

“And you were really cute when you were younger,” Bright added. The magazines went back several years just as his relationship with Jenna had. It was one of the reasons they had been such a popular couple. 

Matthew ignored Bright’s blush at their own comment and giving them both a stern look continued with his efforts.

“It’s _my_ life. You’d think I should have the right to some privacy.” G snorted.

“Mattie, you were eating it up for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Stop trying to pretend you’ve grown some sense of propriety. It doesn’t look good on you!” Matthew told himself G had it all wrong, and managed to claim the majority of the tabloids. He’d put them upstairs for now, and planned to get them into a recycling bin once the group had left for lunch.

Suddenly, he felt a spike of indignation and anger from Eleni. Concerned, he moved in the direction she and Patches had gone. He didn’t get far. She nearly ran into him at the doorway, and stepped back in alarm seeing his arms full of paper. He dropped a few of the magazines.

“And I thought you were bad!” She mumbled, but bent down to pick up the lost volumes.

“What?” he asked, but she just shook her head. Patches came up behind her then, looking flustered and about to speak. When he saw Matthew, his mouth snapped shut and he glared bloody murder.

Eleni was looking at a magazine cover. A 13-year-old Matthew, dressed casually at some party and sitting next to Jenna, smiled shyly up from the cover.

“What is it with this place? No one here knows how to mind their own business.” She flopped the issues on the top of Matthew’s pile, and went back to the table where G was waiting with the others.

Matthew went up to stash the magazines, only to find that he was followed. Patches glared at him from the doorway.

“Why can’t you just stay away? It would be better for her.”

“We enjoy dancing together. What’s wrong with that?”

“Sure, that’s all you are interested in.” Was his sarcastic response. “Come on. You want to get in her pants, but then you’re just going to get bored and go back to one of your UpMountain princesses. I saw the pictures. Eleni is pretty, but she’s got nothing on your former girlfriend.”

“That’s a strange thing to say if you supposedly like her.” Matthew pointed out. Patches glared.

“She’s one of _us_,” was all he said before storming back downstairs.

That afternoon, Eleni surprised Matthew again by staying downstairs after she returned from lunch. The two of them taught a dance class, but for the remainder of the time they hung out in the common room chatting with G and the gang as they came and went. Matthew was happy to see that Patches was otherwise engaged, though his eyes sought Eleni, and him, out whenever he happened to enter the room. Matthew determinedly ignored it.

“Hey Hulio. I hear you’ve got another gig coming up?” He said to the young man, who had just arrived.

“Yeah! At a proper DownMountain restaurant, too!” came the response. Matthew listened as the man detailed his excitement. Bright came over to join them, but when Scarlet came over, he started to edge himself away.

Eleni was talking quietly with G to the side. After the failures of his first few attempts, G had treaded very carefully with Eleni, and it appeared to be paying off. As he drew close enough to hear their conversation, Matthew learned that she was now going to the large man for information.

“Why are there those…boxes out in Katya’s Locker?” Matthew avoided that section of the Sewers, and hoped Eleni hadn’t gone in there.

“People sleep in them.”

“The administration doesn’t give them a place to live?”

“Well, they do, but sometimes people don’t feel like staying in those places…” Eleni didn’t like that answer.

“Why should that be?” G grunted displaying his own discontent with the situation.

“Well, those people aren’t very popular, even down here.” 

“Why is that?” G grimaced.

“There are a variety of reasons: particularly unfortunate mutations, or a general lack of desire or ability to function as they should. But…a large number of the people there are non-mutants.” Eleni shook her head at this information. The topic had reminded Matthew of a question he hadn’t been able to answer for Eleni. 

“G, Elle asked me this a while back, but I didn’t know the answer. Why is this area called the Sewers?”

“There was a band of mutant misfits who apparently lived in the sewers, real sewers, back in ancient times. They were supposedly really ugly.” G made a terrible face, and Eleni laughed slightly but then went quiet.

“Matthew told me how they started bring people back from the caravans. And they ended up living here.”

“Mostly kids, from what I’ve heard.” G said shortly. “And then there are the refugees.” Eleni nodded, indicating that she had heard that, too.

“Are there a lot of those?” 

“They tend to come in waves, but there can be decades in between those waves. Usually there was some disaster that sent them running from wherever they were living.” He looked at Eleni. “They don’t like to talk about their lives before the Montagne, so I wouldn’t recommend asking.” She looked away.

“I wouldn’t. I don’t want to talk about it much, either.” 

Suddenly a hand clapped down on Matthew’s shoulder. Scarlet had apparently edged her own way over while he had been distracted by the conversation between Eleni and G.

“So, Mattie, coming to Hulio’s gig?” She winked. “I’ll buy you a drink.” Matthew thought fast.

“I’ll go if Eleni goes.” Scarlet’s eyes shifted to the quiet young woman.

“What say you, Elle? You gonna help me score a good time?” Eleni looked at Scarlet, her face smooth. Matthew wasn’t sure she understood what Scarlet was getting at.

“You’re on your own, Scarlet.” Eleni replied after a moment. G grinned, and clapped her on the shoulder.

“That’s my sister. Looking out for the little guy.” Matthew glared at G as he disengaged himself from Scarlet. The woman pouted. Eleni saved him again.

“Why don’t we see if any of the kids want another dance class?”

Sure enough, they found a group, and spent the rest of the afternoon teaching.

When they finished it was almost dinner time and G and the gang were getting ready: selecting who would go the cafeteria and finding any kids who wanted to join of the few who were left. Matthew said his goodbyes and was heading towards the door when Eleni caught up with him. Pleased that she had sought him out, he wondered what she wanted to talk about. She hesitated for a moment before she began.

“Um…Matthew, who are the people that G talks to on the streets?” Matthew looked at her, confused at the random question.

“G is well known down here. They’re probably just people catching up with him.” Eleni nodded, but he could tell she wasn’t satisfied with the answer. 

There was another pause. Then, she wished him a good evening and turned away. He left feeling slightly disappointed.

When Matthew got off the train UpMountain, he was surprised to hear someone calling his name. Turning toward the sound, he saw Selene Allerdyce approaching. Inwardly, he groaned. He had no desire to speak with this woman. Ignoring her however, could have unfortunate consequences. He turned towards her and waited.

As she drew close, she pushed her long straight black hair behind her shoulder in a casual gesture. Her hair, along with her light brown skin, made her clear green eyes pop. She was very attractive, and she knew it. 

“Matthew, it’s such a pleasure to see you again! It’s been too long.” She placed her hand on his upper arm, a warm gesture, and leaned in for a kiss on the cheek. He complied as little as graciously possible. 

“Selene. It’s a pleasure, but I need to get—” She continued, talking over Matthew’s attempt to escape.

“It’s so good to see you get back into things, Mattie. We’ve missed you!”

“I’m not really back in the circles. That’s not my thing anymore.” Matthew responded, trying to correct Selene’s misreading of the situation.

“I understand!” She cooed sympathetically. “After what Jenna did, you needed some time. But now, it seems you are ready to get back into it. I’m so glad.” As he considered what he could say that wouldn’t make things too awkward, Matthew just looked at her for a moment, nonplussed.

Her smile seemed genuine, but her failure to listen to him was frustrating. Further, this woman was someone Matthew held at arm’s length: there had been a party a couple years back where, had he been any drunker, they would probably have ended up in a bed together. And Selene was Jenna’s best friend.

She was also very well connected, however, and from a powerful family. She was not someone to annoy.

“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t say I’m back exactly. I’ve gotten involved in some things DownMountain.” Selene must have known this information, but he put it out there like a shield, hoping it would turn her interest to disgust. No such luck.

“You’ve been going back to your roots, I get it. That helped you after Jenna’s betrayal. You needed it. But you know it’s not a long-term option for you. You’re not about to give up your life up here, that is clear. This is where you grew up. This is where you belong.”

He was uncomfortably aware that there was some truth in her words. He fell back on his original, and simple, escape plan.

“Selene, it’s been lovely seeing you, but I need to get back home…” She cut him off.

“My parents would love to see you. They asked me to invite you for dinner sometime. When is good for you?”

Damn. He couldn’t flat out refuse, and would probably have to do the dinner at some point. He wished Selene and her parents had held on to their disgust and not decided to target him now that he was apparently recovering from his breakup with Jenna.

“OK. Tell them thank you for me. I’ll check with my father and get back to you.” The implication was that Matthew would bring Adam to the dinner. Irritation flittered across Selene’s face, but then she smiled and waved her hand dismissively. 

“There’s no need to bother him. He is so involved with his charity work.” She pushed a card into Matthew’s hand. “Here is my contact information, in case you’ve lost it. I’ll be expecting to hear from you soon. Bye!” 

As she walked away, Matthew turned towards home bemused and subdued. His father gaped at him when he mentioned his encounter with Selene.

“The Allerdyce’s? Of all the families, they are the last ones I would have expected to reach out to you.” 

“You were friends with them, right?” The glance Adam gave him was hooded.

“I grew up with her mom. My parents and her parents were…they were all part of an exclusive group; I don’t know the details, but my parents were frequent patrons of the Club.” The Hellfire Club, which the Allerdyce family had taken over roughly a century back. “But once I stopped living that life, they started pretending I no longer existed whenever they could. This is a bit…unexpected.”

Matthew stayed silent at his father’s discomfort. He hadn’t done this on purpose. Adam sighed heavily.

“We’ll have to do a dinner with them. Maybe an evening at the Club, that would keep it somewhat public.” The second was an aside to himself.

“The Club, really?” In spite of the situation, Matthew was excited. Adam had asked himself and Jae to not attend the parties there. His warning had made Matthew think twice before attending, but attend he had. Once you got to the age of 16 or so, the entry age of 18 was rarely enforced, if you moved in the right circles.

Adam gave him the hooded look again. “Perhaps it would be good for you. You’re old enough now. I’ll contact them.” Matthew was happy to let his father take charge. 

Recalling another subject he wanted to broach, he changed the topic.

“How are things at the dance school?”

“Good. You coming back?” Matthew shrugged.

“Maybe…Is Madam P doing well?” 

“Yes. Same as always.”

“Do you think she ever gets…lonely?” At that question his father paused and looked at him strangely.

“Since when do you worry about your dance teacher?” Matthew became slightly indignant.

“She’s like a grandmother to me!” He objected. Adam raised his eyebrows.

“Ah, yes, and the past several months are prime examples of how much you care for her. She’s been very worried about you, you know.” Matthew’s registered a seed of guilt, but pushed it away before it could become anything more.

“I wasn’t in a good place, and I behaved badly. It doesn’t mean I don’t think about her. Do you think she gets lonely? Do you think she’d ever adopt another child?” Adam gave him another strange look.

“She’s older now. The school keeps her occupied. And…Katyana was very precious to her. No one could replace her if that is what you are suggesting.” Adam shook his head, his confusion at his son’s questions still evident. “No, dancing is her life now. It always was I suppose. The only thing that could turn her head is a dancer of unusual talent.” Matthew found he was satisfied with that answer and didn’t pursue the topic any more. 

Adam was happy to drop that subject, but then picked up one with which Matthew was less than pleased. It came up every few days.

“So, this girl. You’re still going to the Towers and the rumors are still flying. Have you really told her the situation in full?”

“I told you, we are making sure we never go out together.”

“That’s not making much of a difference. Do you realize the Towers are getting a reputation over this?” Matthew shifted uncomfortably at being reminded of the disgusting claims that were now being made about G’s center. Attendance had dropped off slightly as a result.

“Yes. G said that they did the same thing when he opened it, but that in the end they got bored and forgot that he and the center existed. The same will probably happen now.”

“I hope so.” Adam didn’t sound convinced. Matthew was glad to escape to his room.

A week later Matthew arrived at the Towers, to find Eleni already downstairs, with her arms around another woman who appeared to be crying. The hasty wave of her hand told him that he shouldn’t approach. He found G in the room he used as an office, putting together some papers. The man spoke when heard someone in the doorway.

“Is the doctor coming?”

“I have no idea,” Matthew replied, making G snap his head up and growl in annoyance. 

“I thought you were Scarlet.”

“What’s happened, G? I saw Elle with some woman.”

G slammed a cabinet door in disgust. “She did the Birth Proxy Program for some credit, but changed her mind at the last minute. The guy didn’t like that, so he went ahead anyway.”

Matthew took in a sharp breath. The Birth Proxy Program paired UpMountain men with DownMountain women for the sole purpose of making a baby and helping with the fertility crisis the Montagne faced. The population hadn’t grown in decades. He himself was uncomfortable with the program, but not surprised by what had happened. G picked up on his mood.

“They see the women as whores, don’t they?” The men who participated in the program, publicly, were portrayed as sacrificing themselves, as were the women, for the good of the Montagne. They were supposed to treat the women with dignity. G knew some of these men were Matthew’s peers. 

And G was right. Matthew had, of course, been present for conversations about the program, though he himself would never participate. He knew, though, that there was a range of opinion. Little of it reflected positively on the women involved. He hedged his answer.

“Some of them use it for their first experience. Some just do it for fun…”

“Fun.” There was nothing in the way G said the word to suggest it meant what it was supposed to. Matthew went silent. 

Recalling Eleni’s nightmare, he thought sadly that she was probably a good person to be comforting the victim.

G returned to the issue at hand. “She was outside the main door when I got here this morning. Wouldn’t talk to me, but I kept an eye on her until Scarlet got here, then went up and asked Eleni if she could come down.” The knowledge that Eleni was helping with this terrible situation spurred Matthew to action.

“What can I do?”

G set him to looking for specific documents regarding female health, health clinic information and even a document outlining various legal options. Matthew was surprised and relieved to see G had this information on hand. The young woman would need it. 

G kept searching for something, and he finally found a sheet at the back of a locked cabinet. He looked at it as if it pained him, and did not relinquish it to Matthew. All the papers went into a folder that G took charge of, and they left the room together. 

Eleni and the girl had vanished, and G was able to confirm with others who had arrived that Scarlet had returned with a doctor and disappeared with the two girls. Matthew and G waited, chatting with some of the teenagers who had come to the Towers that day, and a short while later the women reemerged. G pulled the doctor to the side briefly, before letting the woman leave, and then gave the folder to Scarlet who disappeared again with Eleni and the other young woman. She looked calmer, though still shaken.

G told him they might take some time, so Matthew had joined some of the pick-up sports that always materialized in the courtyard. When Eleni didn’t come out for lunch, he went upstairs and found her there, not dancing, just sitting against the wall, her legs pulled up in front of her. She looked at him as he entered, her eyes angry and sad at the same time. He had felt spikes of similar emotion break through her control throughout the morning.

“How is she?” He asked tentatively. Eleni shrugged.

“She didn’t talk a lot. She said she’d come back tomorrow as well. I hope she does, but...” Another shrug and a spike of emotion, pain and concern. It contrasted with Eleni’s normally cold, distant and prickly personality. 

Matthew quietly sat next to her, but didn’t know what to say. It turned out Eleni wasn’t done.

“At least she knows her choices now. Scarlet told her how she can discontinue the program. She’d have to return the credit. And,” Eleni’s voice dropped to a bare whisper her eyes wide, “Scarlet knew where she could…end the pregnancy.” Matthew looked at Eleni sharply. There was horror in her voice. 

Abortions were illegal in the Montagne. The Council of Barons, the legal body that functioned under the Head, had created a web of legislation that supported people having kids when they were ready: for instance, birth control was readily available and sex education was thorough. However, once a baby was made, they wanted it. 

Then, he recalled Jenna hinting that if she should get pregnant too soon, that there were things she could do. He hadn’t thought much about it at the time; it had an amorphous idea to him, and seemed like something she should handle.

Eleni was looking at him, measuring him.

“Do you think it would be wrong of her to do that?”

“I…I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it. But, Jenna once mentioned it was possible UpMountain, so why not here?” Eleni was shaking her head as he spoke, her expression pained.

“I _hate_ the idea of it. But seeing that woman, and knowing what others face…I wish they would be realistic about what it means. Having a baby. Or…even just _making_ a baby.” She closed her eyes in pained sadness. Matthew had no idea what to say; her obvious emotional connection to the topic was beyond him. He settled for further educating Eleni about the Montagne.

“Abortions are illegal here.”

She nodded. “At the Citadel, too. If you were caught, or the doctor, it meant the rest of your life in workcamps.” He was shocked, even knowing the brutality of the Citadel. He had never imagined they would turn it on their non-mutant citizens. 

“It’s not so harsh here. I think it’s just a fine for the doctors.” He recalled that the amount was significant. UpMountain that was nothing. DownMountain…he realized the amount could put someone here into serious debt. He moved his thoughts away from that fact, and hoped the doctor downstairs was never implicated.

He focused on Eleni. She was quiet, but he sensed lingering discomfort in her.

“I bet it was a comfort to her that you were here. You would understand part of what she went through.” Eleni was still for a moment, not understanding his meaning. Then started in surprise.

“Only part? Oh, because I was held down and had my clothing ripped off me, but not actually raped?”

“No! But, it could have been a lot worse, right? I mean you didn’t seem so upset about it.” Eleni’s eyes went wide, and her mouth fell open in amazement.

“You think…you think I was ok with that?!”

“…You seem to be handling it. You’ve never talk about it.” He said in his defense. She was silent for a long moment.

“No, I supposed I don’t. It was something that happened to me, but I don’t let the experience have control over me.” She looked at him. “That doesn’t change the fact that it was extremely violent.” She looked away. “There might be some truth to what you say, but I have another perspective on that woman’s experience.” Her eyes pinned him, challenging him. “My mother was raped. She told me about it to help me protect myself.” 

He started at the bald statement. Now, he was distinctly uncomfortable.

“It wasn’t like what happened to me or that girl, but it hurt her no less for it. My mom worked as a nurse and would sometimes see rape survivors. She said that no matter the circumstances, the feelings associated with their experience were usually similar. She used to tell them that she had been raped, and that if they wanted to talk about it, it would never go beyond her. She said they usually talked. Listening to that girl this morning…I didn’t want to hear it. But I did it for her.” Eleni admitted this reluctantly, guilt and discomfort coloring the bond.

“Do you…do you want to talk about it now?” This conversation was increasingly distressing, but he also appreciated that she was confiding in him. If Eleni could stand a bit of discomfort listening to that girl, then he could stand some listening to Eleni.

She shook her head and thankfully changed the subject.

“What a hideous program,” she hissed. “Having children or not having children shouldn’t be like that. Something you do for someone’s else’s purposes.” Matthew was surprised at her vehemence, and again he didn’t have any reply. Having children was said to be the ultimate sign of loyalty to the Montagne. He had always thought of it as something you just did. “What happens to the kids?” 

Matthew searched his mind, but found he didn’t really know.

“They are raised down here. Unless they prove to be a powerful mutant.” That was all he did know. 

Eleni simply nodded, and they sat in silence for a while, not in the mood to dance. Then she had asked him, as she always did, whether he had found anything new about removing the bond. He felt his stomach sour. He had, though it wasn’t much.

His hours at the university library had for the most part been fruitless so far. The books in the applicable section had simply reiterated what he already knew. Then he had started to get creative. The information he was going to share with Eleni today had come from a book called “A Parsing of Mental Theory”, and it was just what it suggested, theory. It broke down the existing knowledge and then applied guesswork to reach further conclusions on telepathy, empathy, wiping, truth-telling and other abilities related to the mind. 

He had actually found the book fascinating. It went into a theory that even in people with no ability to reach beyond their minds, there was relative mental ability which sometimes could be fairly strong. The existence of some individuals who seemed naturally impervious to telepathy gave root to the theory. Matthew had taken the book out to read it in its entirety, but it was large and he hadn’t brought it with him. Instead, he shared what the author of the book had written about psychic bonds. 

“Well, first, keep in mind that this is all theoretical.” He cautioned. Eleni nodded. He took a breath, then continued. “This author starts by looking at the nature of psychic bonds. In particular, the fact that a true bond occurs spontaneously. Like with us. It turns out that people have tried to create the bonds, and they succeed to some extent, but the connection requires maintenance on the part of the telepath, whereas a bond such as we have, does not. So, there is a distinction there.

“Based on that information, she makes the conjecture that it is the subconscious that drives the bond, which I mentioned before. In the case of the telepath, it somehow hijacks the persons natural proclivity, however she feels strongly that there must a similar subconscious sentiment in the case of the other individual, else the bond could not take hold. If it could occur more easily, you’d have psychic bonds everywhere there are telepaths.”  
Eleni nodded in comprehension. “That’s why they are so rare. You have to have a sort of resonance between the two people.”

“Exactly, and that is why they are usually seen between two people who have had a long association, and with a deep emotional connection, because that resonance is more likely to occur.”

“But that is not us.” Matthew felt dismay at the conviction with which she made that statement, but pressed on.

“Let’s put our case aside for now. This author thinks that when this resonance occurs, the telepath’s subconscious senses it and reached out on a deep telepathic level that requires next to no energy to maintain. If it finds the matching resonance, it creates an attachment. The author uses the metaphor of a hook.” Matthew felt intuitively that that was wrong, but couldn’t say why. “And, voila, a psychic bond.” Eleni was nodding, but looked a trifle impatient.

“Now, let’s look at our case. The very first day G brought me to the Towers, I recognized on a subconscious level that you were grieving. I did the same when I was small and lost my mother. I danced through it, too. Though not nearly as well as you did.” He said the last a bit as a small joke and was rewarded with a brief, slightly annoyed, smiled. “I think that is what alerted my subconscious to the fact that there might be a resonance. Then somewhere in all those weeks we just danced, it reached out, found the same resonance in you based on your experience and started to create a bond.” He strongly suspected that when they had shared nightmares, it had in essence cemented the bond, but didn’t say that. He didn’t think she’d take it well. 

“So, in a way, our bond was formed based on desperation, like you mentioned before. Grief is a desperate state. So are you saying you think the bond will fade based on the other bond that came from desperation? That you just want to wait and see if it goes away?” She didn’t sound happy with that scenario. Matthew shook his head. 

“It could be one possibility, but I also have another idea. A lot of what this author proposes makes sense, the bond coming out of the subconscious because of a resonance. If it is right, it makes a pathway for me to follow. I could try to trace the bond to its root, and see if I can undo the attachment.” He revealed this reluctantly. He didn’t particularly want to undo it. It had formed naturally, and he felt there was nothing wrong with it being there. Knowing that Eleni did not return that sentiment, he never allowed himself to dwell on those feelings too long. 

She took a deep breath, and thought for a long moment. Then she asked a question.

“When you say a pathway, you mean you wouldn’t have to scour my whole mind to find the bond?” He nodded. “And you wouldn’t…see my memories or anything?” A valid worry.

“Hopefully not. There is always a chance, but I would actively try not to allow that to happen.” He thought she was comfortable enough with him that that worry wouldn’t hold her back. His suspicion proved correct.

“Let’s try it. Do we need to wait for a specific time?” He shook his head, and she spread her hands wide. “There’s no time like the present.”

Matthew nodded, trying to present a confidence he didn’t feel. Gathering their things, they moved to another room, a couple stories higher in the half-built building, for privacy.

“We should lie down, heads close. That way if something puts us off balance we won’t hurt ourselves. Then, I’ll need you to think about your mother’s death. That’s the only place I can think of to start looking for the bond.” She closed her eyes at that, but nodded.

They positioned themselves, heads side by side, but feet pointing in opposite directions, using extra items of clothing for pillows.

“Are you ready?” He asked Eleni. She didn’t speak for a moment, and he sensed she was intent on something, but then she replied yes. He tilted his head so that his forehead touched hers. He entered her mind.

Her control was impressive. He had only entered minds as part of his training years ago, but he remembered them being cluttered, with stray thoughts here and there. Eleni’s mind was like a hollow hall with one scene playing out at the center. Eleni finding her mother, beaten bloody. He looked away from that, knowing the pain it was causing Eleni to see it again, and again. 

Not wanting to extend her discomfort, he started searching, not sure what he was looking for, but sure he would know it when he found it. He ‘circled’ the memory that played out in repetition, but found nothing. He searched more closely. It had to be there somewhere. Desperate, he moved closer into the actual memory.

_“I’m so sorry! Mom, no! Don’t leave me!_ He tried not to listen, not to get too close to the emotions themselves. Still, he had no sense of the bond. He moved closer.

_“Don’t leave me!”_ The phrase started to echo throughout the chamber Eleni had created in her mind. Matthew ignored it at first, though distantly he recognized a terrible feeling was growing in his stomach. _“Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me!”_ The room trembled, and Matthew froze. 

No. 

He realized too late and that the voice he was hearing was no longer Eleni’s.

**ELENI**

As soon as things started shaking in her memory, Eleni clamped down on everything, not thinking a single thought, mentally holding as still as she could. It didn’t stop her from being swept away into Matthew’s memory, which had a painful clarity his nightmare had not. She was there, tucked under the rock, her mother leaving her to go help the other children. 

Something moved to the right. She yelled out. Her mother rose slightly and maneuvered back, starting to glow. Eleni felt relief. Then the gun shot sounded, and her mother’s head snapped forward as she fell, thick wetness blooming at the back of her head. Horror and guilt flooded through her. 

People started appearing coming up from the ravine below them. Her eyes darted in panic as she cried piteously. The men collected her mother’s body and then came for her. They wore white arm bands with an insignia printed on them in black, clear in the stark contrast of the simple colors. Eleni felt her stomach turn in horror. The memory abruptly cut off.

Free, she rolled to her side, away from Matthew. She was sweating heavily, shaking uncontrollably. She could hear crying from behind her. Desperately, she tried to take some deep breaths, failing for several minutes.  
Finally, she was able to breath, and asserted control over her emotions. The crying had quieted, but not subsided. Slowly, she sat up and looked around. They were still alone. If either of them had cried out, no one had heard. Steeling herself, she looked over at Matthew.

He was curled into a ball, his arms wrapped around his head. Her own breathing controlled, she could now hear that he was whispering, _Mommy_, every few moments. She slid herself to his side, and reached out to gently touch his shoulder. 

He started, his arm jerking back, and looked up at her with wild eyes. Then he recognized her, and she finally felt him start to calm down. He sat up, face a wreck. It tore her heart, and she moved so that she was beside him, then opened her arms and embraced him. He let his head fall on her shoulder, and she felt his tears renew. She rested her cheek against his hair, and they sat like that for a long time. She found tears running down her own cheeks. 

When Matthew finally calmed down, he pulled back. After a few deep breaths, he apologized.

“I’m so sorry to take you through that again. I didn’t think anything like that would happen.”

“Are the memories connected now?” She asked. She had been thinking about it while she held Matthew.

Matthew shrugged. “It seems the best guess to me. That or the feelings and…words…are so familiar that made me remember it no matter what I wanted.” That made sense as well.

She thought for a minute. Against her better judgement, Matthew had become a friend, she felt that now. He helped her; his presence helped her. What she had just learned from his memory disturbed her, but in the end was of little consequence in her life. However, it made a big difference in his.

Focusing on the situation at hand, she made her decision. She couldn’t let a friend live a lie.

“I think I might know why, Matthew. Why that memory has so much power over you.” He looked at her dubiously. She pushed on. “Even though you remember,” she started slowly, finding the words to best explain what she suspected, “I think you are repressing it somehow. I saw something in it that I don’t think you see.” Now he looked at her as if she was crazy.

“I used to have that nightmare every night. I hardly call that repressing it.” She felt her heart contract at the pain in his eyes, though she outwardly she breathed and remained calm. 

“Matthew,” she began, insistence entering her voice. She had lived her 17 years of life knowing her enemies surrounded her. She had imagined it was somewhat akin to hell. She hated the thought of putting Matthew in that same position, but felt that knowing was better than living in ignorance. “please listen to me. The people who came to take you. The ones who killed your mother. They were from the Montagne. I could see the insignia clearly on their arm bands!” 

Eleni hadn’t thought far enough ahead to anticipate a reaction. Later she would reflect that denial, shock or disbelief would have been logical. Most definitely not the irrational anger that she encountered.

He pushed her away, his face twisting in fury.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? That is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard ANYONE say. The Montagne has given me the best life I could have had. You’re trying to make them some kind of menace, and when they are the reason I am here trying to help YOU!” He looked at her, contempt thick in his eyes. “I get you food, I get you clothes, I bring you back to the real world instead of the tiny hole you seem determined to dig yourself into, and this is the thanks I get? What is WRONG with you? I’m not going to take this anymore.” With that, he stood, turned away and stalked towards the door. He didn’t leave, though, and instead started pacing the room, muttering to himself.

Eleni sat in shock, trying to figure out what had just happened. She cut off her awareness of the bond as much as she could. 

She had never imagined Matthew could be like that. It was so unlike the man she had come to know. Her reaction was numbness, though her stomach felt unpleasant. She breathed deeply. 

He had no right to treat her like that. No one did. Contempt had no place in any caring relationship. Her mother had been adamant about that, and Eleni agreed.

Feeling weak, she realized it was time. Psychic bond and tabloids be damned. She regretted that her last memory with Matthew was ruined, but pushed that disappointment aside. She stood and made her way to the door.

“Good bye, Matthew.”

“Eleni, don’t leave!” The strangled sob of a sentence stopped her for a moment. Then, she shook her head and kept moving. “No, please! I’m so sorry. I know I got angry at you, but I can’t remember why. I’ve been trying to. It felt so wrong. I know I yelled at you – I don’t do that! But I did, and I can’t remember why, and it’s driving me crazy. But please, please don’t leave me.” He was crying again, she realized. She stopped a second time, and slowly turned around. Something in his voice, and in the bond she was desperately trying not to feel, made her nervous. 

He had turned to face her, but was now kneeling on the floor, hands on his head, his head ducked forward as if in pain. He kept muttering the same words, permutations of what he had already told her, but always beseeching her not to leave at the end.

She opened herself to the bond. She felt confusion. And panic. And fear. He was deeply afraid she would leave him. It shouldn’t have mattered to her. Yet, she found she couldn’t leave him in that state.

Slowly she approached him. “Matthew, I told you something. You didn’t like it. That’s why you got mad.” He didn’t seem to hear, and remained where he was. She reached him, and crouched down, placing her hands over his where they gripped his head. He let go, and grasped her wrists in his. He was shaking. She had intended to talk to him more, but something told her that would do no good. 

With a sinking feeling, she knew his reaction was somehow related to the self-imposed block on his memory. There was a pattern to the emotions that pulsed at her through the bond. Anger, brief but there, suddenly cutting to…nothing, then confusion, panic, fear, and back to anger to start the cycle again. He had driven him into a mental loop he couldn’t break out of. It disturbed her greatly, and she didn’t know what to do. 

Looking outside, she saw it was growing dim, the artificial lights becoming the only light visible in the cavern. She was momentarily taken aback by the amount of time that had passed while they had been working on the bond. She was fairly certain he had missed his last train. She didn’t want to go to G or any of his friends, and most of them had probably gone home already. Reaching for options, she settled for one that was easy and close. “Come with me, Matthew, I’m going to take you somewhere safe.”

Slowly she got him to stand up. Slipping his arm around her shoulders, she led him out of the room and oriented herself. She was familiar with the entirety of the Towers.

They walked slowly through the halls and up the stairs. Matthew seemed to calm down a bit, although he still trembled. His litany had reduced to begging her not to leave. She distractedly continued to reassure him, but focused on the hallways and stairways around them, making sure they were deserted. 

It was dark out by the time they reached the final portion of the trip. Matthew continued to mumble distractedly. She steadied the beam, and then carefully led him onto it, herself walking first but always holding his hand. She held her breath, not wanting Matthew to realize where he was. Fortunately, he remained distracted, and with a sigh of relief she led him into the small room where she slept each night. 

She lay him down in the corner, then lay down beside him, rubbing the arm that was closest to her. She continued to reassure him. She was right there and wasn’t going anywhere. Slowly, his words grew faint and long spaces came in between. Finally, he fell asleep.

Exhausted, she evaluated the situation as she left to go to the bathroom, and get ready for bed. She had brought Matthew to a place she had intended would remain secret, but in light of everything that didn’t matter so much anymore. She dismissed her concern. 

She considered telling G her worry about Matthew’s memory, but still didn’t feel comfortable enough with the man to do so. While Matthew took G at face value, Eleni had seen enough to know that the man worked on multiple levels, and she wasn’t sure of his motivations or intentions.

Back in her room, she looked sadly down on Matthew’s sleeping form. The man would have to live with his damaged memory and ignorant that the society who sheltered and elevated him was also the one that had murdered his mother.


	11. Chapter 10

**MATTHEW**

Matthew woke up disoriented and with a wretched feeling that something was wrong. He realized that he had no idea where he was. The room he was in was dark, and he was lying on his back, the floor hard beneath him. There was ambient light coming from the right, but not enough to illuminate anything in the other fields of his vision. 

The presence of a warm body beside him entered his senses, and he knew it was Eleni. 

Then he remembered. She had started to leave. He couldn’t let her leave: she was too important to him. But somehow here she was by his side. Relief flooded him, and momentarily made him weak. 

His mind started recreating the previous afternoon, though his body tried to distract him with a pressure in his bladder. Pushing that aside, he remembered: they had failed in removing the bond and then his proximity to Eleni’s memory of her mother’s death had caused him to recall his own traumatic experience, to become lost in it. After that everything became fuzzy.

Horror filled him as he realized that when the memory had taken over, he had lost control. That was dangerous, especially as he had been in someone else’s mind. He vaguely recalled the sense of being contained, and suspected that it was Eleni’s own impressive control that had prevented any damage to herself.

Slowly, the aftermath returned to him, but not entirely. Eleni had said…something, he couldn’t recall what, except that it had been insignificant but extremely hurtful. That had led to a fight. He cringed, squeezing his eyes shut, as echoes of what he had shouted at her returned to him. That wasn’t like him. He’d have to apologize. 

Eleni was sleeping soundly beside him, but now that he had put things together, he needed to talk to her immediately. 

“Eleni,” he whispered, then a bit louder. “Eleni, wake up.” She shifted, and startled awake.

“Wha-?”

“You brought me here,” he added quickly. Waking up beside him this time hadn’t led to a sense of contentment from her. He felt her freeze, then relax, but not entirely.

“How are you feeling, Matthew?” Came her question from the dark.

“Better. I hated to wake you, but I need to make sure things are ok between us.” She was quiet for a long moment.

“You were pretty upset about what I said.”

“I know. I don’t know why I got so angry – that’s not like me. By the Helm, I don’t even recall what it was all about, but the way I reacted was unacceptable. I’m really sorry I upset you enough that you felt you had to leave.” She was quiet again.

“What you did, what you said and the way you said it, it wasn’t ok.”

“I know. I’m so sorry.” Quiet.

“It’s in the past.” That was it.

“You forgive me?” She didn’t answer the question.

“It’s done.” He was perplexed by her answer for a moment, but decided against pressing the issue and ending up in another argument. 

They were silent for a few minutes. In spite of their reconciliation, a distance remained between them. Matthew had no idea how to repair that, but he felt a need to keep some sort of conversation going.

“Eleni, where are we?”

“Somewhere.”

“Come on.” He said, slightly exasperated. “You brought me here, so I’m going to find out tomorrow. You might as well tell me now.”

“You’ll find out tomorrow.” Matthew had lifted his head slightly at his question, and now thumped it back down on the ground in frustration. There was little between him and what he suspected was a concrete floor, and pain shot through his head as it landed. He brought his left arm up to rub it and it brushed a wall beside him in the process. Then his hand ran into one above his head. Apparently, he was in a corner, with Eleni lying next to him on the open side. He rubbed his head, then put his scraped fingers in his mouth wondering how Eleni stood sleeping here.

He considered asking where the nearest bathroom was, but suspected that if he left Eleni’s hidey-hole in the dark she wouldn’t bring him back, now that she knew he was ok. He resigned himself to suffering until the morning.

The conversation stalled, Matthew eased his message mote out of his pocket, and sent a quick note home. His father had made him promise to do so after the first tabloid article had revealed that Matthew had spent the night DownMountain. 

Then Matthew gave up on moving, and lay there in the darkness. Eleni was a warm mass just beside him, but not touching. He became aware that his right arm, pressed to his side, was starting to ache. For the honest reason of bringing some relief to his uncomfortable position, he risked shifting and stretched the offending arm out to the side above Eleni’s head. 

As he turned, he noted there was a large window in the wall behind Eleni; that was the source of the ambient light though it only lit up half of the window.

“This place is extremely uncomfortable. How do you sleep here?”

“You get used to it,” was her sleepy reply. 

“Um, do you mind if I put my arm there,” he gently tapped it on the top of her head. “I’ve just about lost all feeling in it.”

Eleni obliged, lifting her head so he could lay his arm on the floor. As she lay her head back down, this time resting just below his arm, he shifted his body to the lie on his side with his back to the wall. 

Then they lay in silence for a while. Matthew decided against pursuing another conversation, but did find himself increasingly aware of Eleni’s closeness. As he listened to her soft breathing, he shifted his head closer to hers to feel the warmth emanating from it. He realized he wanted nothing more than to kiss her.

A voice at the back of his head said it was a bad time, but the feeling persisted, and the lingering anxiety in his stomach over the state of their relationship suddenly highlighted feelings he hadn’t yet consciously acknowledged. 

He took a deep breath, trying to contain the emotions so that he could think. They seemed to have patched things up from the afternoon, and he saw no harm in taking Eleni at her word that it was in the past. Also, while Eleni had shown him no more than friendship over the weeks, she had nonetheless chosen to remain close to him in spite of the tabloids and his reputation. 

These thoughts bolstered his confidence, but it was the next that seemed to banish the anxiety: there was the bond. Perhaps there was another reason, other than their shared grief, that it had formed. 

Well, why not? He briefly noted a neediness, the anxiety refusing to release him completely, but talked himself away from the feeling. They had so much in common, and, at the least, it couldn’t hurt to let her know the opportunity was there. He found himself hopeful, and slowly, maneuvering carefully in the dark, lowered his lips to hers.

She had been on the edge of sleep, and didn’t respond at first. When she did, however, there was a start of surprise and then she pulled back sharply. Matthew held himself still, holding on to his hope.

“Matthew, what are you doing?”

“Um…I know with what happened this afternoon, it’s not the best timing, but we’re pretty good together…” He registered disbelief through the bond, and his stomach knotted as anxiety spiked. The emotion from Eleni vanished the next moment, however, as she clamped down on her feelings. 

“I have someone I care about.” The whispered words came after a moment’s pause. Matthew’s heart contracted in disappointment, though his gut relaxed slightly. His mind grasped to put her statement in context. Patches? He pushed aside the ludicrous idea. Eleni had been avoiding the man.

“But how? Who—?” he cut off the question as he realized what she must mean.

“I love him very much.” This time the whisper quavered. 

Someone at the Citadel. It seemed her mother wasn’t the only person she had lost when she had been forced to leave. Matthew felt a mix of sadness, longing, and pain from her, and connected it with potent emotions he had felt from her on occasion in the past. His pushed down his own disappointment and dismay, Eleni’s grief providing a welcome distraction from the emotional mess inside him. 

“Oh Elle…” Her breath kept catching. His actions had opened up a flood gate, and he felt agony rise up to join her despair as she tried to contain the feelings. He reached for her, but she flinched back.

“Elle, I won’t do anything. I know now. But, please, don’t suffer that pain alone.” Reluctantly, she let him pull her into his arms, and her tears came freely. 

He was glad to offer her what comfort he could, even if it was only as a friend. He tried not to feel bitter that she was in his arms where he was starting to understand he longed to have her, but not as he longed to have her. He knew with certainty it was not his arms she wanted.

Several hours later, Matthew opened his eyes to the light of day and shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t know how he had managed to fall back asleep: his bladder was a painful reminder of his need to use the bathroom. He was lying on his back again, and stared at the concrete ceiling above him for a moment, trying to manage the discomfort and recalling the events of the previous night.  
When Eleni had rejected him.

Pushing aside his disappointment, he lifted his head to locate the doorway and briefly saw a stash of supplies in the corner across from him. His eyes grazed over a bucket, a bar soap and a razor, a pile of neatly folded clothes, a towel, a stash of packaged food that lay beside several metal water bottles, and an odd metal box that looked a bit like a radio. There were some items of clothing hanging from the wall, accompanied by a large backpack. All of that made no impact on him as his eyes were drawn to the wall that held the window.

Because there was no window. There was no door. There was no wall. 

The room, which couldn’t be more than eight feet wide, opened into the air, and from the little that Matthew could see, they were very high up. 

“Eleni!” he exclaimed, unintentionally. Not paying attention to whether his call had awoken her, he carefully climbed over her then just as carefully edged to the front of the room. Directly in front of him was the rock wall of the mountain, maybe about 30 feet away. To the left, however, he could just make out the edge of the other tower, and the DownMountain beyond that. 

He looked down – that was a mistake. Firmly placing his hands on the floor near the edge and peering out, he instead focused on the other tower, and carefully counted to get an idea of just how high up they were. 10 stories, by his estimation. To the left there was an I-beam perched precariously atop the roof of a room a level lower, leading towards another set of stacked rooms and the center of the complex. 

His stomach sinking, he edged back into the room and turned toward the last wall, the one that had been at his head before. No door. This room had no doors. Or windows. The only way to enter was through the gaping hole of the missing wall. Matthew shifted himself well away from the edge, then to the wall across from where they had been sleeping, next to Eleni’s assortment of stuff. Putting his back up against it as if it would hold him in more securely, he looked at Eleni.

His exclamation had woken her, for she was sitting up in her ‘bed’, a few blankets between herself and the concrete floor, back against the wall, knees drawn up to her chest. Her look was guarded, and her feelings were flat. She knew how he felt about where she had been sleeping. And now that he knew, he couldn’t let it go.

“Eleni, this is not ok.”

“It’s safe. No one can get to me here.” She was not going to let go of her ‘bedroom’ without a fight. He didn’t particularly want to fight with her again, not after yesterday, but he couldn’t let things continue like this.

“Not quite. If someone who can fly gets curious, or someone who can climb walls, the height makes no difference.” He saw her jaw tightened. 

“People stay clear of the towers. And I’ve never seen anyone fly around here, or climb walls.” That was true; they would have been brought UpMountain. “Why would they go to the effort anyway?”

“There are some messed up people out there, Elle. You can’t bet that you’ll be ignored forever. And you are not anonymous anymore! But, it’s not just that. I’m not going to be able to sleep knowing THIS is where you are. What if you fall out?”

“That’s not going to happen. And why should I care if you lose a bit of sleep?”

That stopped him for a moment. Yes, he had no claim to dictate how she should live her life. He also believed this was no way to live any life. He had to make her see that. He thought of his plan.

“Elle, there are other options.”

“The dormitories-,“she began with apparent coldness. 

The dormitories, where anyone with a pass card could live, and were safe and kept relatively clean. G lived at one. However, it meant communal living, and Matthew knew Eleni wouldn’t accept that. She didn’t want to let go of her imagined security, and her privacy. This terrible location where she was sleeping did give her privacy. 

“I understand,” he cut her off “about the dormitories. I have another solution.” She just looked at him, and he had the strange sense that she was detached from the conversation. “Please hear me out. Come to the UpMountain with me, and dance for my dance teacher, Madam Pietrovich. I know she will be impressed. You are as good as, if not better than, my old partner, Jenna. And I think there is a good chance my teacher will let you stay with her. She’s strict, but fair, and I think it would work out well. You’d be safe, you’d have your privacy, and you’d be able to dance as much as you wanted.” He focused completely on Eleni, taking in her reaction.

At first, she just stared at him, blinking. This had taken her completely by surprise, he could see and feel that. She wasn’t even able to prepare a defense, which worked in his favor. She tried to object, but it was weak.

“Matthew, I, I can’t. It’s too dangerous. What if, I don’t know, what if…the tabloids...” her voice trailed off, leaving the thought incomplete. He picked it up.

“Yes, it will make the tabloids, but if you stay up there, living with Madam Pietrovich, things will be more transparent and there will be less opportunity for stories.” That was true. The fact that they stayed DownMountain, and in the Sewers, made their supposed affair that much more depraved.

“What about…” Her voice trailed off, the objection never spoken. Her gaze turned accusing, then she looked away and was silent for a long time.

“Of all the things you could have said.” She finally mumbled.

She brought her hands up and rubbed her eyes with her palms, as if she had been looking at something she didn’t like. He sensed reluctance from her, but it was dwindling. Whatever argument she was having in her head, his side was winning.

“Elle, it’s safe there. Safer than it is here.” She shook her head, her eyes distant when she dropped her hands.

“It’s never safe, Matthew. And I am stupid to do this, but for the dancing, I will.” The words didn’t make sense to Matthew, but he let them wash over him in his relief. She had agreed. 

She mumbled something to herself like a prayer; he thought he heard her say the word ‘mom’, but when he asked, she just shook her head. With a deep breath, she regained her composure. The decision had shaken her.

“Well, I guess we should go break the news to G.” She said evenly, and began collecting her things. 

The clothing went into the bag, along with the razor and soap. Most of the water bottles went into the bucket though a couple were squeezed into the bag along with the food. Then Eleni picked up and considered the radio-like box.

“What’s that?” Matthew asked.

“Patches gave it to me a few weeks back. He can send and receive radio signals, and has this set to a frequency he’ll pick up fast.” She shrugged. “He gave it to me in case I got lost, or wanted to talk.”

Matthew wanted to ask if she’d used it, but didn’t. She was leaving this place, and Patches couldn’t follow. Following that train of thought, he came to a logical conclusion.

“I doubt he can pick up anything you send from the UpMountain. There’s miles of rock between us and them.”

Eleni looked at him strangely.

“Miles of rock…,” she echoed. She seemed to take his point, however, and tucked the device into the bucket.

Done, she stood and swung the backpack up onto her back.

“I’ll take that.” He offered, reaching for the bucket. A smirk twitched on Eleni’s lips. 

“I think it’s better if I hold it. I’m used to carrying it.” Picking it up, she walked over to one end of the open wall. The end with an unsteady looking I-beam balancing a foot away. A wicked look entered her eyes. “Ready?” 

No, he was most definitely not ready, but he wanted to put this room behind him. 

“Let’s go.” He said with more confidence than he felt.

“Don’t worry, it’s stable” she said as she stepped onto the beam, and carefully made her way across. 

Taking a deep breath, Matthew followed. He was thankful for his heightened strength and balance from many years of ballet training. It gave him the confidence he needed to cross the perilous beam, perched ten stories above the ground, and exit into the room at the other side where Eleni waited. Together, they descended to the second floor, where they made a quick detour to the bathroom.

With everything else that had happened, Matthew hadn’t considered the implications of himself and Eleni coming down together. They were spotted coming down the stairs from the third floor, and G was waiting for them when they got to the first. Taking each by an arm he hauled them, none too gently in Matthew’s case, into his office. Matthew knew he didn’t have the patience for G’s antics, so before the man could speak Matthew blurted out forcefully.

“G I’m taking her UpMountain with me.” G’s eyes bulged, and Matthew considered that it had not been the best way to start the conversation. 

“Oh, you’ve gotten a little taste of heaven now, and want to keep it close by, do you? Really Matthew, I thought you were better than this! Yeah, I joke and all, but I’m not about to let you make all those things they say in the tabloids true!” Matthew worked up for his return, but Eleni beat him too it.

“G, I’m going. He offered but it was my decision. Matthew’s going to introduce me to his dance teacher. He thinks she’ll teach me and let me stay with her. Yeah, it might be a stupid decision, but I’ve made it and nothing you say is going to change it. Anyway, if he’s wrong I’ll be back in time for dinner.” G pulled up short, fixing his gaze on Eleni. He considered her words.

“His dance teacher. Madam Pietrangelo or something?”

Matthew replied. “Yes, that’s the one.” G had heard stories about her over the years.

G thought for a moment more, then nodded. “It’s not a bad idea if it works out. There will be more options for you UpMountain, Elle.” Matthew was surprised the man had conceded so quickly, but he did have a good point about Eleni’s future prospects. Then G eyed her purposefully and said, “They are not going to like you very much up there. And they won’t be shy about showing it.” At the last, he shifted his gaze to Matthew. Matthew met the man’s eyes, but kept his face smooth; he didn’t think it would be so bad. Eleni’s comment broke their unspoken skirmish.

“Nothing I haven’t faced before.” She didn’t elaborate when G raised his eyebrows questioningly at her. Matthew wondered what she was talking about as well. 

“Well, then, I’ll leave you two to it. I need to go find Bright and Hulio. And Scarlet.” His eyes had a calculating look in them as he left.

Eleni turned to Matthew expectantly, and leaving the Towers, they made their way to the station.

Once there, there was a brief moment of embarrassment when Eleni’s card wouldn’t get her through the turnstile. Matthew had forgotten that, for most of the DownMountain, access to the train, whether for the UpMountain or the production units beyond, was limited to those who went there to work. 

“I forgot to apply for a guest pass. She dances, and I wanted to give her a tour of Madam Pietrovich’s School of Dance.” A pitifully lame explanation, he knew, though it was mostly true. The station master eyed him a little too knowingly, and Eleni a little too familiarly, making Matthew grit his teeth.

“Whatever you say, Mr. Summers.” He opened the gate in front of them, and Matthew and Eleni passed through. Glaring back at the man, Matthew noticed several people had stopped to watch them. A couple were tapping notes into message motes.

The train was fairly crowded with people heading to their work day. They didn’t speak much on train ride up. Matthew explained that he planned to stop by his house first, even though it was in the opposite direction from the dance school. He thought things would go better if they had Adam on their side. Then they fell silent.

He found himself thinking back to the previous afternoon and night, though he tried not to. The memory of yelling at Eleni still made him cringe. The one of her turning down his advances made him sad. He was hyper aware of her presence next to him. In an effort to make himself feel better, he noted that the man she loved was beyond her reach now. There was no need to give up entirely. 

Eleni interrupted his thinking to ask a few questions about Adam and Madam P. Minutes later, they arrived at the UpMountain station. There were some paparazzi’s outside the station, and Matthew knew this story would most likely be on the front page of the next issue. He hoped it would stay quiet until then.

As they walked away from the station, Eleni gazed at the UpMountain streets around her. “It is a lot nicer than anywhere in the DownMountain.” She commented, unsurprised. “It’s…pretty. Quaint.” She was gazing at the detailed stone work on the buildings, the artistic decorations that made them beautiful. Matthew felt momentarily offended, and she glanced at him in surprise. 

“Um, it’s a sizable city. A center of culture.” Eleni just raised her eyebrows tolerantly at that. Matthew looked away, still slightly insulted.

At a point where the street was relatively clear of people, Eleni pulled Matthew to the side and whispered urgently while she pretended to be impressed with the building in front of them.

“I don’t want them to know…where I came from.”

“Oh.” He thought about it. “The background information on the passcard has you in the DownMountain since you were a child. And people UpMountain don’t really care about where you came from beyond that, so I don’t think anyone will ask. I think you are pretty safe there if you don’t say too much about it.” Little worry of that.

“Will they think it’s strange that I can dance?” Matthew paused for a second. He hadn’t considered that. In his research on the dance school, he had learned that it did happen occasionally that a dancer from one of the two schools in the DownMountain was noticed and brought UpMountain to train. However, Eleni hadn’t been enrolled at the dance schools, and everyone knew she had been living in the Sewers. His brow furrowed in worry and thought.

“It is a bit far-fetched,” he admitted. The image of people coming off the Wastelands was that they had barely been surviving out there. Hardly a situation in which one would find a dancer of skill, not to mention the lack of equipment. 

Then he recalled G saying that the refugees sometime brought in useful knowledge; there had been a woman skilled in electronics, and she helped the center out with a few devices it had when they weren’t working. Another man had been familiar with working in stone, and even carving, which he did when he wasn’t doing a job for income. He had visited the center to show some of the kids what he could do with a simple chisel and hammer. There were other’s too, and they must have learned those skills somewhere, probably with the Remnants. So why not dance? He shared these thoughts with Eleni and felt tempered relief through the bond.

She nodded. “OK. That should work. If they ask questions.” He guessed she was hoping they wouldn’t. 

They reached Matthew’s house, and he took Eleni around to the back. Adam was sitting at the table in the kitchen, he gave Matthew a stern look as they entered in spite of the message he had sent in the night. Coming home with Eleni didn’t help the situation. Matthew knew there would be a lecture later. 

Jae was nowhere to be seen. Matthew had been confident she would already have left for training. They hadn’t spoken a word to each other since their fight after first tabloid article had hit.

Adam turned a warm smile on Matthew’s companion.

“You must be Eleni.” He said, standing and coming around the table. “It’s good to finally meet you.” Eleni smiled slightly and took the hand Adam offered. Matthew noticed she didn’t correct his father’s mispronunciation of her name. Adam clasped her hand in his, studying her face, then he invited her to sit.

“Have you two eaten yet?” Matthew could see by the clock on the wall that it was only 9 in the morning. He indicated that they hadn’t, and Adam disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes. Matthew sat down beside Eleni at the table. She gazed around the room.

It was a simple room, but done elegantly with a dusky blue paint and white trim. In addition to the table, there was a buffet against the long back wall, as well as a door leading to a more formal dining room. The side to the right went into the kitchen, and there was an open counter beside the doorway where dishes could be left. The left wall had a door that opened on to what used to be a porch. Adam had it closed in and redone to be a practice room for dance looking out onto the garden. The wall behind where they sat, where the door they had entered by was found, was mostly glass, and looked out onto the back garden as well. 

“No computers or video machines?” She asked.

“TV in the living room. There’s a computer upstairs.” She nodded. The difference in technology between the Montagne and the Citadel still seemed to surprise her. 

Matthew beckoned to Eleni, and showed her the practice room off to the side. She grinned at the smooth wood floor, and started doing some light steps. Matthew leaned against the door frame and watched, smiling, until Adam called them back to eat. 

At the table, Eleni’s eyes widened at the spread. Matthew winced; Adam had indulged. He would have to make it clear that these types of food were not typical, even UpMountain. There were fresh fried eggs, a salad of small greens, a plate of round cakes dotted with dried fruit and even some bacon. Meat and eggs were rare in the Montagne, as it was difficult to raise the animals on any sort of scale. The greens indicated the hydroponic fields, which, due to the large amount of filtered water they required, were also limited in size. Clean water continued to be an issue in the Wastelands, even though the air was no longer poisonous.

In the DownMountain, Matthew suspected Eleni’s meals had consisted of a sort of millet gruel and some dried fruits or vegetables, and mushrooms. Nothing like what lay on the table in front of them. Several types of hardy millet grains had been cultivated to grow with limited light throughout the centuries, and made the base of the Montagne diet, both UpMountain and DownMountain. The cakes on the table would be made from the same grains, but the remaining items would almost never be seen DownMountain. In addition to the hydroponic fields, there were hothouses which grew rare, sought-after fruits and vegetables as well as coffee and tea. They were labor intensive, the resulting supply small, and as such limited to the UpMountain. Even UpMountain, they were pricey. Adam could afford it, and usually kept a small supply which they ate once a week at a more formal family brunch on the Holday. He had pulled them out early for Eleni.

“Coffee or black tea?” Matthew felt a spike of surprise and pleasure from Eleni.

“Tea, please, thank you.” He looked at her curiously, and when Adam went into the kitchen, she said quietly. “My mother loved tea. It reminds me of her.” There was a touch of sadness to her, but Matthew was glad that the thought of her mother no longer caused her pain. He smiled at her. 

“Do you always eat like this?” Was her next question. 

“No,” Matthew replied hastily, “he’s pulled this all out for you.” A look of embarrassment and pleasure crossed her face, and she looked wistful. 

“Occasionally, K-” She began softly, but Adam came in with the pot of tea then, and she cut off. Matthew was disappointed. Adam’s generosity had disarmed her a bit. He didn’t think she would repeat whatever she had almost said later if he asked.

As Eleni poured some of a creamer made from grain into her tea -- even Adam Summers rarely splurged on dairy products -- Adam settled down and asked her if this was her first time to the UpMountain. Matthew had told Adam about Eleni, her dancing, her loss of her mother, but he had not told him the complete story of how they had met or, of course, where she had come from. 

Adam made some assumptions, for instance that Eleni had grown up in the Sewers. Matthew felt guilty about the deception, but relieved that, so far, their plan was working as hoped. Eleni nodded in response to Adam’s question.

“What do you think of it?” Adam prompted, referring to the UpMountain. Eleni, who had been enjoying the aroma of the tea, took a small sip before replying.

“It’s lovely.” She said. Matthew was relieved she didn’t say quaint “The stone on the buildings is very beautiful.”

“Yes, well, as you know the UpMountain was built after the DownMountain, and they were able to take more time with it. They made a concerted effort to make it beautiful. It is said to look like one of the grand cities of ancient Europe.” This was all true, but Matthew noticed that Eleni hid behind her cup as she nodded. He decided he would try to ask her more about the Citadel later.

“Dad, we didn’t just come up for a visit.” Adam shifted his attention to his son, eyes surprised but waiting to hear him out. “I think Eleni should audition for Madam P.” Eleni glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, and spoke up.

“Matthew told me about the school, and I would appreciate the chance to study dance seriously.” Matthew blinked, then continued.

“And if she will let Eleni join the dance school, I was thinking she might let her stay with her. That way she doesn’t have to travel from the DownMountain everyday. Eleni is very dedicated to her dancing.” He looked at Eleni as he said the last part. He knew it sounded a bit lame, but it was true.

Adam took a sip of his tea, and set the cup down. “Yes, that train ride is arduous. Hasn’t stopped you, however.” The sarcastic comment was said with a withering glance in Matthew’s direction. He probably suspected that Matthew was angling to get Eleni closer to him. Matthew ignored the comment and the look.

Adam mused. “Well, things are quiet at the dance school now, as we are so close to the start of the academic school year. I believe all she has today is the open dance studio in the afternoon. I’ll give her a call to make sure and to set a time.” With that, he left the table, disappearing into the kitchen again. His voice floated out a minute later, carrying on one half of a conversation.

“What is that called?” Eleni asked, tipping her head toward the kitchen.

“Telephone.” Matthew supplied, “did you have that?” Eleni nodded, and murmured another word that actually sounded somewhat similar to the one Matthew had said. Eleni fell quiet, concentrating on her food. 

Adam came back in, confirming they would go over in an hour, at 10:30. He turned his questions to Matthew, asking whether his son had thought about school. Matthew replied that he had, and that he planned to re-register UpMountain this week. G had been on his case as well, and he had finally seen there was no reason to keep avoiding it. Adam looked relieved and happy at that, and also mentioned that Matthew should think about what he would do after he finished the required education. Matthew replied with a noncommittal grunt. First, they had to see how today went.

Adam’s eyes widened in evident shock as Eleni, having finished eating, opened her backpack and took out her toe shoes. Apparently oblivious to the man’s reaction, she proceeded to work the shoes, breaking them in a bit more. It was the second pair from Jenna’s bag, and she had barely used them, Matthew recalled. Adam looked at Matthew, incredulous. Matthew simply gave his father a pointed look in return. 

Eleni finished working the shoes, and slipped them on to her feet to get a feel for them. Adam and Matthew finished eating, and cleared the dishes while she worked. Soon it was time to head to the dance studio.

As they walked the streets together, Eleni again peered around taking in the UpMountain. One of the main differences between the construction of the UpMountain versus that of the DownMountain, was that in contrast to the set of caverns packed with buildings, there were instead large arching tunnels, each one containing one street, occasionally two. They were high enough and broad enough that they didn’t feel suffocating. Some called them cathedrals, apparently referring to some religious buildings of the past, which had had similar arched ceilings. Some of the nicest ones had atriums at the top, allowing natural light in. The one Adam and Matthew lived on did not, and the high ceiling was instead dotted with sun lamps. 

The streets, all paved with large flat stones, were pleasant to walk down. Small parks and garden gave color to the surroundings. They sometimes held trolley lines, called closed cars, for more rapid transportation, another luxury of the UpMountain. DownMountain, everyone walked or rode bicycles if they were lucky. The only other form of transport in the Montagne were a few covered electric vehicles which only the most elite of families used. The Head almost always used these vehicles, as was expected of his station. 

At the first intersection, they encountered a closed car station, and hopped on a line headed in a northerly direction to what was known as the Top of the Mountain. It was one of the more elite neighborhoods. It did have an atrium at the roof of the tunnel, and Matthew noticed Eleni gazing up at it. 

The dance school itself was built close to the stone wall of its tunnel, a sprawling building with a march of double doors at the front. The doors led to a large foyer in front of the auditorium, where many of the school’s performances took place. There were some grand theaters in the entertainment area of the UpMountain, where professional performances took place, and sometimes, for a particularly accomplished performance, the school booked those out as well. Matthew had performed in one two years ago at the school performance of The Firebird. 

Adam led them to a small road that curved up to the left side of the building. There was a medium sized house built adjacent to the school, simple but stately. This was where Madam Pietrovich lived. It had been in her family for generations.

Matthew noticed with distaste that a few individuals loitered on the narrow road. Tabloids. News had spread, and they were waiting in places he might show up. He glanced at Eleni, but she walked on, apparently oblivious. 

Madam Pietrovich met them at the door. She was a diminutive woman. Her silver-streaked black hair was drawn into a bun at the back of her head. Her skin was a light tan, her dark eyes tilted and wide. She had high cheekbones and a low-profile triangle nose over a small mouth. She was a proud and handsome woman.

He noticed she eyed Eleni, but not unkindly. Her welcome was respectful if not warm. She led them down the hall past the floating staircase that led to the second floor, and into the kitchen. 

It was a large square room, with a round table and chairs in the middle. The colors of the room varied from tan to brown, and there was some brick in the construction that gave it a warm, homey feel. The kitchen bordered on cluttered, but everything was clean and in its proper place. Matthew had many fond memories from this kitchen. It was nice to be back in it. 

The entrance to the school from the house was through a hallway off to the side. That was where they would go next.

Madam Pietrovich paused by the table, and turned to Eleni. 

“Do you have everything you need, child?”

“I have shoes, but no leotard or tights.” Madam Pietrovich nodded, and indicated there were some her students had left behind. Surely something there would fit Eleni. Matthew sensed this was his opportunity, and spoke up.

“Madam P, I know my dad told you Eleni is here today to audition to join the school, but if you do take her on, we were hoping she could stay with you as well. It would save so much time. She is very dedicated to dancing.” He said this all firmly, ignoring the fact that Madam Pietrovich’s eyebrows climbed higher with his request and subsequent assertions. He also ignored the flash of annoyance from Eleni. 

The teacher’s expression turned sharp when he finished.

“Matthew, Eleni isn’t the only one up for audition today. We must see how much damage you have done to your dancing with this extended ‘vacation’.” Her voice brooked no argument. He was fine with that.

“Yes, but Eleni needs a place-,” Madam Pietrovich cut him off.

“I am taking that into consideration. However, I will decide nothing until I see her dance.” And without further conversation, the older woman led them into the dance school, first taking Eleni to a room that held the extra dance clothing. Adam and Matthew proceeded to the changing room. Matthew was not prepared, and ended up rummaging through the lost and found himself for something that would fit his broad-shouldered form. Adam fortunately, had an extra pair of his slippers in his locker that fit Matthew well enough.

They quickly located the practice room where Madam Pietrovich was with Eleni, who was warming up. She was dressed in a dark leotard with white tights, and had on soft ballet slippers. Moving to the far side of the room, he started he own warm ups with Adam.

Eleni glanced at them when they entered, but then set herself back to her work under the teacher’s watchful eye. Madam Pietrovich considered dancing a lifestyle, and thought that a serious dancer should take care always to perfect their body for their art. Rushed warmups and sloppy drills, even from the most advanced of dancers, resulted in hours of repetitions of those very activities. 

As Eleni moved naturally from warm ups to practice steps, Madam Pietrovich took an active role, calling out steps, and sometimes asking her to repeat them. The steps became more advanced, and then became small combinations and finally series of three or four steps including leaps and spins, and eventually a short, choreographed piece. 

Then Madam Pietrovich invited Eleni to put on her toe shoes, and during the pause came over the Matthew and Adam who were supposedly practicing as well, but had really been watching Eleni dance. Adam had made several surprised and approving noises throughout the audition.

“So confident are you that you don’t even need to practice?” This pointed remark from the teacher was directed at Matthew, who hastily bent back to work. “Matthew, how long have you been aware of this young woman and her talent for dance?” Matthew thought quickly. 

“A few months.” The arched look she returned him suggested she was disappointed in him. Eleni had finished with her shoes and was on her feet again testing them out. Madam Pietrovich left them and returned to her. The process began again, from simple steps to more advanced, to combinations that increased in length. Through all of this Madam Pietrovich circled Eleni, watching intently but not betraying her impression of the young woman’s dancing. Finally, she asked if Eleni had a piece prepared.

“The variation from Copelia.” She responded promptly. It was the same dance she had done for Matthew the first time he’d seen her on toe shoes. 

Madam Pietrovich motioned to Matthew, who moved to put the music on. Eleni danced just as she had at the Towers, as if it were a true performance before an audience. Matthew saw Madam Pietrovich nod in approval. This time, Matthew was close enough to see that Eleni’s face reflected the same emotion her dancing did, fun, flirty, and carefree. It was truly a transformation on her normally reserved countenance. He watched, enthralled.

When the dance was done, Madam Pietrovich stood, nodding appreciatively.

“Where did you learn to dance, child?”

“A mentor had some knowledge and taught me. I picked up what I could from TV shows as well.” She replied. Madam Pietrovich took this in. 

“Where is your family child?”

“In the end is was just my mother and I. She passed away a few months ago.”

“I am sorry for your loss.” Eleni nodded, looking away. The teacher turned her eyes to Matthew. “I supposed it is a vain hope that you didn’t partner with her?” It wasn’t really a question, and her dry tone annoyed Matthew. He stood, and started walking toward to Eleni.

“Just a few simple things. Really, I didn’t do anything-“ He never got a chance to finish.

“Where do you think you are going?” He stopped, staring incredulously at his teacher. She was hardly going to keep him from dancing with Eleni, was she? 

She was.

“Adam, partner with Eleni. Matthew, you need to practice, no?” His father gave him a rueful look as they passed each other. With barely contained annoyance and disappointment Matthew ran through warm up steps, and short pieces, but his attention was focused on Eleni and Adam. Madam Pietrovich walked them through some basic supported moves, all of which Matthew had taught Eleni and she did competently. Then the teacher asked Eleni what she knew, and the younger woman complied, listing the other moves she and Matthew had practiced together. 

Matthew got some disparaging looks from the dance teacher throughout this process. He ignored them in favor of the occasional appreciative glances he got from Adam. They didn’t reflect on his teaching, but on Eleni. She had taken naturally to partnering, holding herself erect when necessary, paying careful attention to the subtle shifts in strength from her partner that indicated the progress of the move and she actively entered into the give and take that resulted. She was still inexperienced, true, but it was a pleasure to dance with her.

At last Madam Pietrovich brought Eleni’s session to a close. In all it had taken 2 hours. They congregated at the seats along the side of the room.

“Matthew, you have truly taken leave of your senses,” Madam Pietrovich began her assessment, “you should have brought this young woman to me the moment you knew of her ability.” Madam Pietrovich was stingy at best with compliments. For her to come out so clearly and praise Eleni’s skill was impressive. Matthew leapt to the next conclusion.

“So you’ll take her on? She can live with you?” Madam Pietrovich fixed him with a level gaze that told him he had gotten ahead of himself. 

“I have a few requirements of my own which you both must agree to before I make my final decision.” Matthew and Eleni glanced at each other, and both nodded.

“First, you two will dedicate yourselves completely to your dancing.” Matthew thought briefly of Eleni’s down days. She hadn’t had one in the past week and a half. He glanced at her, and saw as well as felt the resolve in her eyes. She would push herself for this goal. They both spoke their ascent.

“Second, you will both attend school. UpMountain.” Ignoring Madam P’s pointed look, Matthew quickly agreed. Eleni hesitated.

“I’ll be there, too, Elle. For the first half of the year.” He said the latter reluctantly. “It’ll be fine!” She gave him an inscrutable look, but after a moment’s more thought, agreed.

“Third, you will both audition for the annual performance, no matter what it is, and take the roles you are given without complaint.” Matthew sucked in a breath at this requirement. That was a fairly large commitment to make so far in advance. He agreed reluctantly, and Eleni again hesitated, though he sensed she was excited through the bond. 

“When are the auditions?”

“The middle of December, just before the Solstice.”

“And when is the performance?”

“In April.” Eleni was silent for a long moment this time. Matthew sensed she was having another debate with herself. Finally, she agreed.

The next requirement almost made Matthew wish he had never suggested coming to Madam Pietrovich.

“Finally, you two shall not partner, until I say you may.” Matthew groaned internally, and tried to think of a way out of that commitment. Eleni spoke first.

“You say we cannot partner, but we can dance together.” Madam Pietrovich nodded and Eleni agreed. Pushing aside his disappointment at being unable to partner with her, he found himself mildly surprised and pleased at Eleni’s intervention. He agreed as well. Madam Pietrovich nodded in satisfaction.

“Then I gladly take you on, Eleni, as a student of dance and as my charge. We will complete the paperwork later today.” Eleni looked stunned, it had happened so quickly, but Matthew could sense satisfaction from her as well. And a flash of anxiety. When she looked toward him, he smiled reassuringly.

“Told you so.” He couldn’t resist saying. His fun was short lived. 

“Well then,” Madam Pietrovich’s eyes took on an unpleasant gleam, “on to you, Matthew.” 

An hour later, an hour that had been much too long in Matthew’s opinion, Madam P let himself, Eleni and Adam into the large auditorium where open dance was being held. Matthew had not wanted to go, but had had no ground upon which to object. He was already in shaky territory with Madam P.

There were clusters of dancers seated around the auditorium. Different cliques, different interests outside of dance, different ages, there were many reasons for the groupings, but they were all kids from the UpMountain. He moved closer to Eleni.

A young woman stood up and edged out of the seats. Matthew tensed as she approached them. Hazel eyes intent if smiling, Jenna approached him. He again moved closer to Eleni, looking for a way to put more distance between them and Jenna, when a sudden shout from the stage startled him.

“SUMMERS, I SAID STAY AWAY!” Matthew stared, dumbfounded, as G bounded off the stage and up the aisle towards them. He dimly registered that Bright and Hulio were following him off the stage. How were they here?

Upon reaching them, G put an arm around Eleni’s shoulders and, glaring back at Matthew, escorted her the rest of the way to the stage. It was then that Matthew felt the hand on his arm. Jenna had reached him. 

Seeing his predicament, Madam P and Adam shared a look and left him behind. 

“Mattie.” Jenna began, her voice warm, her hand tightening on his arm. “I’m so glad you are here again. We have a lot to talk about.” She was looking up at him through her lashes, putting on the act she had perfected over the years. He had watched her build it up as they had grown, and thought it charming and clever. Now it seemed brittle and superficial. He moved back.

“Yeah, I’m back. Can’t believe it.” He muttered. “Look, Jenna, I really don’t have anything I want to say to you, ok? I’m just here to dance.”

“Yes!” She beamed. “I’ve missed dancing with you so much! I can’t wait to dance with you again. Madam Pietrovich will surely put us together. We were always the best together.”

He didn’t know what to say to that, and hadn’t yet thought about the fact that he was back meant that he would dance with Jenna again. And he wasn’t allowed to dance with Eleni. He glanced down the aisle to see that Eleni was on the stage showing steps to G, Bright and Hulio. He wanted to join their casual, honest comradery, not be here with his ex-girlfriend.

“Jenna, look, I’ve moved on-“

“I get it Matthew. I had to go and explore, and now you are, too. But now that you are back here…” She moved closer to him, and goosebumps rose on his arms. “I can’t wait to be with you again, Mattie.” She whispered. What was she thinking?

He backed away again, uncomfortable with her proximity and unsure of what to say. “Look, Jenna, you don’t get it…” He glanced back at the stage then, and saw that Eleni was setting up to dance and the others were leaving. He wanted to watch. 

As he moved to make his way down the aisle, Jenna stepped close enough to him that her breast brushed his arm. He jumped at the touch, and unbidden memories flashed through his mind. He glared at her for a moment, then pushing past her, made his way down the aisle, trying to banish those memories from his thoughts and focus on Eleni dancing.

G was in front of the stage looking back at Matthew. His eyes slid past his friend and turned flat. Matthew suspected he was locking eyes with Jenna.

Pushing into one of the rows, Matthew sat and set to watching. Madam P was just cuing up the music. Jenna came and sat beside him, and the remainder of their clique that was in attendance joined them spread out in a wide group around them. He bristled at the claim on him. 

The murmur in the auditorium dropped off, though Matthew heard a few sniggers and barks of laughter. They thought that this was some kind of joke. Probably that he had convinced Eleni to learn a bit of ballet as a pretense for bringing her UpMountain. His mouth formed a twisted smile at the rude awakening they were all about to have.

The music started.

Eleni had begun sitting and draped over an outstretched leg. She rose gracefully and commanded the stage with her movements. Matthew noticed that the suppressed laugher from the auditorium dropped off fairly quickly after she started. She was entrancing, and no one could deny that. Matthew indulged himself a glance at his former friends’ faces, and was satisfied to see discontent on most of them.

Madam P spoke as Eleni finished.

“Nicely done, Eleni. You can get more air on those jettes and your balances were a bit sloppy, no? But presentable for a pick-up performance. Your posture is superb. Now, come everyone, gather around.” Matthew wondered if Madam P was being generous with her praise in light of Eleni’s situation, or to make it clear to all in attendance how she felt about her new student. Not that Eleni did not deserve it.

“We have most of the upper school here, it seems, so I see no reason to wait. This is Eleni Jones. She will be joining us, starting today. Further, I will be taking charge of her general wellbeing, as she finds herself alone in the world. If you have any issues with these developments, you will speak to me.” Her eyes flickered briefly to Jenna who shifted in clear annoyance, and then Madelyn Frost, Jenna’s mother, whose face remained impassive. G spoke up, startling nearly everyone.

“And you, my dear lady, must be the famous Madam Pietrovich. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking my sister in. I know she will have many opportunities here that she wouldn’t otherwise have had.” 

“Sister?” Madam P wrinkled her brow and glancing at the girl, Eleni. “I thought you had no living relatives, child.”

The man quickly responded. “Ah, yes, it is true we are not actually blood relatives, but Eleni is no different to me than was my own dear little sister, may her spirit rest in peace. Now, Madam Pietrovich, I hate to start our relationship this way, but I must humbly ask your pardon.” Madam P arched an eyebrow. “You see, I am the one responsible for introducing Eleni to Matthew.” Matthew opened his mouth in shock as G made this dramatic pronouncement. The dancers around him started to titter, with the exception of Jenna. G didn’t stop there.

“A terrible mistake, I now know, to put a man of such passions in her life, but there was the dancing connection and I had my reasons at the time. Please rest assured, I have done everything in my power to ensure their time together is limited and chaste. With a couple exceptions.” At this he glared at Matthew. “He is a wily one our Mattie. But that is all the more reason why Eleni needs your stern care and guidance. From what I have learned of you, I have no doubt that a woman of your esteem is just what Eleni needs in her life to keep her safe from certain unsavory pressures. It is with honor and relief that I relinquish her care to your most competent self.” 

Matthew had gotten up during this speech, and with attempts to defend himself which G talked over, he tried to extricate himself from the seats. His former friends weren’t making it easy. 

Eleni had come to sit on the edge of the stage. Her face was a mask a she took in G’s dramatic introduction, but Matthew could sense irritation through the bond. 

Matthew hoped Madam P would put a stop to the G’s antics, but unfortunately the woman was looking thoroughly amused. She perused G thoughtfully. Matthew recalled belatedly that the dance teacher had a wicked sense of humor when she cared to show it.

“My dear Matthew, you have truly been amiss in keeping your friends from me. First, I learn that you have been aware of this girl and her talent for dance for months, but failed to notify me. Now I am to understand that you have kept this fine young man from me as well. Your name, my dear?”

“Please call me G.” Madam Pietrovich simply raised an eyebrow and waited. ‘G’ wilted.

“James, Madam.” It had been so long since he’d heard his friend’s real name, Matthew had forgotten it.

“Well, James, if it would ease the parting from your ‘sister’, I would be happy to take you in as well.” Matthew closed his eyes and muttered a curse to himself as he finally cleared the seats. 

“My lady, your generosity knows no bounds, but alas I am 20, too old to be taken in anymore. If only we had met years sooner.” Again, he glared at Matthew, but Matthew ignored him and walked over to the stage to join Eleni. 

“My dear boy, it need not be in a parent-child capacity…” Matthew caught sight of G’s face blooming in delight, but determinedly didn’t hear the rest of what he or Madam P said. He hopped up on the stage beside Eleni and bent his head to her.

“Told you so.” He repeated softly, smiling. The guarded look on her face relaxed, and he was rewarded with a small smile in return.

“You did. I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Mattie, I am not sure I shall ever forgive you for withholding this marvelous woman from me!” G was exclaiming. “Mattie? MATTIE! Too close!” Suddenly G was there trying to push between Matthew and Eleni.

“G! C’mon man!”

G just looked at him as if he had some sort of disease, linked arms with Eleni and pulled her over to Madam P with alacrity.

“You see, it may already be too late. I leave her in your capable hands, Madam. And by the way, I have heard there is a well-respected girls academy here in the UpMountain?”

“Ah yes, Saint Agnes’. It is a fine institution.”

“I want you to know that should you decide that is the best place for my impressionable sister, you have my full support in enrolling her there. My income is meager, but I will contribute whatever I can to tuition.”

“G!” Matthew jumped down from the stage, done with trying to ignore his friend’s antics. “Stop it already!”

G hastily kissed Madam Pietrovich’s hand and hugged his ‘sister’. “I must be going, but I will be back. Farewell fine lady!” At this point his was beating a quick retreat up the auditorium aisle with Matthew in hot pursuit. G’s cry echoed throughout the acoustics of the large room. “Stay away from me, you lecherous man you! I don’t want the sugar you’re selling!” 

“G that’s going too far!” He kept his voice quiet. G did not. The laughter behind them proved he had an appreciative audience.

“Mattie, if you can’t keep it in your pants, you should have gone back to the red-headed chick!” He reached the back of the auditorium, wrenched open a door and fled. Matthew caught him in the foyer, and grabbed his arm.

“What the HELL was that about, G?” He was really mad. G was laughing.

“Fun, my precious peacock. Fun.”

“Look, G, I’m just trying to help her! Back off, ok!” Picking up on the depth of his friend’s anger, the man pulled himself under control and surveyed Matthew coolly.

“Hey, Mattie, you can take a bit of this. And it should take some of the focus off of Elle.” That stopped Matthew. It might. “She’s going to deal with a lot worse. I’m trying to help, too.”

“Help?” Matthew responded flatly. He had his doubts. He changed the subject. “How are you here, anyway? And Bright and Hulio? Elle’s pass card didn’t let her through. I had to pull strings.”

G looked at Matthew sideways. “We sacrificed ourselves. And thought we’d see how the other half lives. Or other quarter.” The DownMountain population surpassed the UpMountain significantly.

“C’mon, after putting me through that crap, the least you can do is tell me how you got here.” G breathed out heavily.

“I suppose there is no harm. Hulio was scouted, so that was easy. Just had to call the scout. Hulio’s going to go talk to the lady after this.” Matthew grinned at hearing that news, and made a mental note to collect his share on the wager.

“And you and Bright?”

“So, they’ve never figured out my mutant ability, right? And Bright…well, it turns out Bright is a unicorn, though they are not quite sure what they did.” Matthew actually stepped back in shock at that news. Sacrificing themselves indeed. “So…just as much of a mystery as myself. We go do the initial interview this afternoon.” G watched his friend closely. The tall man just nodded.

“When do you start the process?” G shrugged.

“After today? Like I care? I’m not going to be calling them to set up a time, so, they’ll have to go through the dormitory, and you know, messages often get lost there...” The large man grinned, and Matthew felt slightly sympathetic for the UpMountain administrator who didn’t know the run around this man was about to give them.

“Stay safe.” He said. G nodded. People were emerging from the theater. Apparently open dance was over. G leaned close.

“Thanks, Mattie, for keeping all that quiet. And keep an eye on her, ok? A distant eye.” Matthew glared, but nodded. Adam came up beside him and explained that Madam P was closing the school for the afternoon to take care of Eleni’s paperwork. Matthew looked back hoping to say goodbye.

“They went back through the house.” Adam informed him to his disappointment. He said goodbye to G, and left with his father. On the way home, Matthew listened to Adam’s positive impression of Eleni’s dancing.

**CITADEL 3020.08.11 (same day)**

**DAVE**

The scarf swathed head in front of him held Dave’s attention as he walked. He should have been watching the building numbers, but it was strange to see someone wearing a head covering. Save for Eleni, of course, who had always worn one, as had her mother. Realizing he had lost track of where he was, Dave took his eyes off the captivating headwear, and turned his attention back to the building numbers.  
He had indeed gone too far, and backtracked two buildings to his destination. 

He was in Bloc 7 today. The Citadel was comprised of 9 blocks: A central octagon with eight segments radiating out, each a pentagon with points that elongated as they moved away from the center of the city. The first two blocks, pointing to the south east and south, contained large factories and the train yard. The rest were mainly residential, with the central Bloc, Bloc 9, containing the large portion of business, financial and government buildings. Bloc 7 pointed to the north-east.

It was for the most part no different from the other residential blocs of the city: tall apartment buildings, sometimes with small shops at the base. Commercial ventures were normally found at the larger intersections.  
The residential buildings, each about 10 stories tall, were made from stone and concrete with some flourishes to alleviate the monotony. Neat and for the most part nondescript, the streets were nearly a vision of grey. Trees planted at regular intervals whispered life into the cold visage, as did the parks that dotted every Bloc, save for 1 and 2. 

Arriving, Dave entered through the outside door and buzzed the apartment in question. While he waited for a response, he gazed out at the street beyond the glass in the door, his eyes lingering on the trees. The city made efforts to insert green wherever possible. The goal was three-fold – bringing some refreshing color to the city, helping to maintain the oxygen levels, which were low coming off the Wastelands and had to be supplemented, but also preserving species of plants for the day when they could once again grow beyond the Veil.

If that day ever came.

A noise behind him made him turn to find young woman had come down. She looked nervous.

“I’m Dave Kelly.” He said quietly when she opened the inner door, offering his hand.

“Come on up.” She said, as she clasped his hand in a firm grip.

They went up four floors, then down a short hall to a small apartment. There, a young man stood up from where he had been sitting on a low couch when they entered. He stared for a moment, then came over and stood next to the woman, his wife. He also looked nervous. 

They were close to Dave’s age, which gave him pause. Outside of the elite, people usually married soon after finishing compulsory education, which Dave had completed in the spring. Married, and started producing the children the Citadel needed so desperately. The elite didn’t wait much longer, for that matter.

“Dave Kelly.” He said, extending his hand which the man accepted.

“Please sit.” 

Dave sat on the couch. Two pillows were pillows laid out on the floor across from him. The young couple set out tea and a few hard biscuits with dried fruit and nuts. Dave took one politely, but didn’t eat it as his companions settled onto the pillows.

“Um…thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I was…relieved when I heard about this network. I…also…lost someone.” He thought he might need to say more, but those words were enough.

“I never even saw him.” The wife began. “They did the blood test immediately after the birth, and then just whisked him away. They told us he had been sick. But, Ken got a look at him…” She looked to her husband.

“I know, I should feel horror, but he looked perfect, and so tiny. So helpless. He was alive, kicking away…” The man bent his head in grief, and his wife put her arm around him.

“I heard him cry.” She started to cry. Given their youth, they must have lost their baby recently. Dave felt tears press at his eyes.

“I’m so sorry.” He said honestly. “The person I knew, she managed to live, to have a life. But…” …that hadn’t made any difference in the end.

They spoke for a long while, sharing things about the person they had lost. The couple showed him the room they had prepared, and the baby things. They were feeling the pressure to have another baby, but found it difficult in the wake of their loss. The loss of a perfectly healthy baby, save that he had been a mutant.

Dave never named the person he had known, or explained his connection to her. They understood his grief without all that.

“She loved the parks.” He said with a tight smile, when they had returned to the couch. The wife reached out and squeezed his hand.

“It helps to talk about it.” He nodded, and did agree. Even if he had another goal in mind, he was finding the meeting a welcome catharsis.

They spoke for a few more minutes, then he excused himself.

“It’s good that you are in the Network.” The husband added as they bid him farewell at the door. “They are quiet as mice. They won’t talk about the fact that you are one of us.” That was the only indication given that they knew exactly who Dave Kelly was, as well as the place he held in their society. Dave nodded his appreciation and left.

Returning the hat he had worn there to his head, he took some deep breaths as he walked back down the street to the nearest trolley station. He hadn’t told the couple about his true goal. It was too soon for that; he had to gain trust first, make people comfortable enough with him so that they would listen to his ideas and not shut him out. He felt it had been a good start in that effort.

The tightness in his chest eased as he went, and he began to take in his surroundings again. He had noticed before and noticed again that there was a uniformity to the appearance of the people who apparently lived in this Bloc. Nearly everyone he walked by had straight black hair, tan to brown skin, and dark eyes. The young couple he had just met had been the same.

In Dave’s experience, skin tone in the Citadel was a kaleidoscope ranging from dark brown to beige, and hair from straight to woolly curls but almost always a darker shade. Dave’s light skin, blond hair and grey eyes were rare, a gift from is fair mother. 

He couldn’t remember seeing a group of people with such consistent traits. He wondered at it, thinking it wasn’t a coincidence, and decided he’d have to look up the history of this Bloc later.

Noting that the light from the sun was just starting to turn orange with the onset of evening, he picked up his pace. At the intersection with the station, however, no trolley was in sight down the long, straight boulevard, so he amused himself by looking at the nearby shops. A clothing and fabric recycling boutique, a rare florist, a hole-in-the wall take out place serving food he didn’t recognize, a jewelry shop. 

Casting his glance disinterestedly across the display in the window of the last, his eyes landed on a silver bracelet with a heart shaped charm on it. He tried to look away, but the tightness in his chest returned and he was taken back.

_“Elle!” Dave called as he entered the open office space. It was dotted with desks and partitions throughout, and populated with assistants, administrators, and interns, a small army all working in his father’s name._

_Eleni sat at large table located amidst the desks. His father’s staff occasionally used it for meetings, but otherwise it was left clear and Eleni and Dave often used it for homework when they were hanging out at the office in the afternoons and evenings._

_“Hey!” She smiled at seeing him. “Didn’t think you’d be here today.”_

_“Practice ended early. Too cold!” Dave played lacrosse on his school team, and the season had just started. The temperature usually stayed a bit above freezing during the month of January, but today it had dipped unusually low and even the coach had given up. _

_He would have made sure to come today, anyway._

_They had been ‘together’ a month short of a year. A year of holding hands and stealing kisses - and sneaking into the lounge when the rare opportunity provided. In the privacy of the lounge they talked with no worry of being overheard, held each other, or kissed for as long as they wished. The latter was getting more interesting. _

_Once during the summer, they had caught a sunset out of the room’s west-facing window, and then they had sat on the couch, arms around each other, and watched it. It was the closest they had come to an actual date.  
Dave joined her at the table. She spent a few minutes showing him the new tablet his father had given her at the small party three days ago. Then they chatted about school for a bit. _

_He told her he was thinking of going for captain of the lacrosse team when he was old enough. He was really enjoying the sport, and interested in how the coach set up the team on the field. The captain would have a hand in those decisions._

_“It’s either that or a titled position on student council.” He had already joined, but only as a general representative of his class. Eleni rolled her eyes. “Come on, Elle! You know it’s important. They let us help make decisions about the school.”_

_“Like what food to serve at the end-of-year party, how to decorate for the dances and occasional petitions for more free times? Which always fail by the way.”_

_“Well, ok, it’s practice. As we get older, we can weigh in on teacher hiring and stuff like that as well.” Eleni looked dubious._

_“You really want to do that?”_

_“Yes!” _

_“Well, I’ll help you if I can.” She smirked. “I can be your secret eyes and ears at the Academy.” She assumed a devious look. Some decisions impacted both their schools, and the student councils worked together in those instances._

_“Fabulous.” He grinned back._

_They settled into their work, though Dave’s leg beat an impatient rhythm the entire time. _

_Finally, it was evening, and he and Eleni retreated to the large conference room; the tables made a square around the center of the room and wouldn’t be taken down that night. Eleni’s mother was still working at one of the desks in the open office; his father was ensconced in his private office down the hall._

_“We could dance. In the middle of the tables.” Eleni suggested quietly. They were getting social dance lessons at school, and when he had complained about them to Eleni, she had hauled him onto the floor and declared that she would give him supplemental lessons. Outwardly, Eleni was sacrificing her toes for Dave’s future social success, but in truth it was another way for them to be close with no one the wiser._

_Dave nodded distractedly as he worked a small square box out of his bag. That would be nice, but he needed to do this first. He had written ‘14! You caught up!’ on the top of the box, partially because he didn’t know what else to write. When they were little, they had enjoyed the fact that that for these 5 months they were the same age, and it was reminiscent of that time._

_“Elle, here.” He whispered as he pushed it discretely towards her. “Happy Birthday.” This was the actual day. He knew she was pleased by the smile she couldn’t suppress, no matter how she tried._

_“Can I open it?” Dave looked out at the hallway glancing at the two doors separate that led into the room. Despite the fact that work hours were done, a person passed by every few seconds. There had been a disturbance in the city, and the military factions were up in arms. They were calling for the reestablishment of military control for the protection of all, a return to the way things had been 40 years earlier. _

_Dave shook his head regretfully._

_“Open it later, when you’re alone.” He wished he could be there when she saw it, but it was too risky._

_Eleni did as he asked, and the next time they met she told him it was beautiful. She didn’t have it on her, however, which was a disappointment. He did manage to sneak a kiss which thankfully went unseen in the bustle of the office._

_A few weeks later, when she lay her hand on his behind his school bag, he felt something cold brush his skin. Looking down, he saw a silver bracelet around her wrist._

_“I didn’t want to put it on right away in case someone noticed. I told my mom I found it at the flea market on the way home.” She whispered._

_“Did you open it?” She nodded._

_“I really like it.” There was one surprise he doubted she had discovered. He glanced at the hall. Things had quieted down, and there were fewer people walking by. He reached into his bag and pulled out a safety pin he had packed for this purpose._

_Taking the heart charm that hung from the braided silver chain in his fingers, he gently eased it open. The side that flipped out was slightly curved and could hold a tiny picture. The other, however, was smooth and flat and had the initials E.P. engraved there. He looked up at Eleni._

_“I wanted to do E.L.P, but they could only fit two letters.” Eleni smiled at his reference to the middle name he had given her when they were kids. “I bet you didn’t find this.” _

_Opening the pin, he gently pushed it into an inconspicuous hole found in the inside edge of the small locket. The panel with Eleni’s initials popped open. Eleni gasped in delight. He eased his nail under the panel, and flipped it to the other side of the locket. Now, it displayed the initials D.K._

_“I love it!” She exclaimed, and he knew she meant it. “But, how did you get this done?”_

_It had been a bit of a feat. He had seen the bracelet last fall, when his father had ducked into the jewelry store they always used on the way home one evening. Robert Kelly purchased jewelry for his wife on her birthday and other significant occasions. Dave had heard her speak of the pieces from her husband to her friends, and thought she enjoyed them. _

_Waiting for his father, he had noticed the bracelet. One of the sales people, thinking maybe he also wanted to purchase something for his mother, had shown him how the panel inside could be flipped from one side to the other, and snapped into place to make it stationary. Dave had hidden his true interest then, and reserved the piece later on online, requesting one side of the panel be engraved with his initials. A courier had picked it up and delivered it to his father’s penthouse on an afternoon Dave had known he’d be there alone to intercept it._

_“Then, I stopped in at a small-jewelers a bit out of the way in Bloc 4, and had them do your initials while I waited.” He finished, blushing at the effort he had put into it._

_“I love it.” She whispered again, and glancing to make sure the hallway was clear, kissed him. _

Dave’s throat tightened, and tears press against his eyes. Coming back to himself, he realized he was pressing the rim of his hat against the glass and staring like an idiot. He quickly turned only to see a trolley leaving the station.

“Hi Dave.” He started, then whipped his head around to see Sanida Trebong standing a short distance away. Had she seen him staring in the window of the jewelry shop? His dismissed his worry. It didn’t really matter.

“Hi Sanida.” They were the same age, and she had attended the Academy like Eleni, though Eleni had been a year behind her. Sanida had light brown skin, dark brown eyes and thick, straight black hair, worn long.

“What brings you here?” She asked, looking around the nondescript Bloc. Dave shrugged.

“Just exploring.” Sanida looked at him and a thoughtful expression crossed her face. “You got into the law program, right?” 

Admission into the high-profile academics such as law, medicine, technology, and business was done through a series of tests. Only a certain number of individuals, throughout the city, were accepted each year, and admission was based only on their performance on the tests.

Dave nodded. The tests had taken place prior to Eleni’s death. If they hadn’t, he didn’t think he would have passed.

“Yes.” 

“Great. It’ll be nice to know someone else there.” Dave made a sound in agreement, though he was sure some other of their classmates must have gotten in as well. As distraught as he had been at the end of the school year, he hadn’t paid attention.

He was looking forward to the start of the law program next week; it meant freedom from his parents, and would make the work he was doing easier. The academics would help his purpose as well.

“I’ve got to get back home. I’ll see you in class, then.” He waved goodbye and crossed the street to the station.


	12. Chapter 11

**ELENI**

Eleni looked around the large, multi-leveled building. It was an airy galleria, hollow in the inside, with the levels delineated by balconies. Those balconies were lines with shops. A sectioned window that followed the roof of the space let in natural light at the top opening up what would otherwise be a large cave. Large green plants lined every floor and walkway.

She took a deep breath. She and Madam P had just left one of those shops, the last in a string of them. The older woman had insisted on getting new clothes for Eleni in spite of her objections, and they were both carrying bags which held several new outfits in addition to the one Eleni wore complete with matching scarf on her head. Reservations aside, Eleni appreciated finally feeling presentable again.

“Let’s get some lunch, shall we?” Madam P said in an upbeat voice. Eleni nodded, though she wished they could go back to the house and she could once enjoy the solitude and comfort of her own room, complete with en suite bathroom. These past three days had been a lot for her. 

The first day, on which the life Eleni led had yet again suddenly and drastically changed with the space of hours, she had barely held on. After closing the dance school, Madam P had taken her to complete the necessary adjustments to Eleni’s card at an UpMountain administrative office. 

Eleni had been certain it would not work; there was no way this dream-come-true could hold, and indeed the clerk had been resistant and rude towards Eleni at the outset. However, Madam P, as she asked to be called, had quickly put him in his place, pointed out that he had no grounds upon which to object given Eleni’s talent, and he had reluctantly complied. Further, as Eleni was over 16, and thereby was seen as a semi-autonomous entity within the Montagne, all the transfer required to place her well-being in Madam P’s hands was the young woman’s consent. 

Madam P had handled the rest with a firm hand. The woman was a force to be reckoned with. Eleni found that comforting, but only distantly as it had taken nearly all her control to keep from losing her composure. Fortunately, the older woman had picked up on her state, and they had gone directly home after that.

“This place will do nicely. Eleni. Eleni?” Madam P’s hand on her arm finally brought her around. She had been staring up at the atrium windows, focused on the particles that caught the light and danced through them. How nice it would be to be one and spend her life floating in the warmth of the sun.

Shaken out of her reverie, she looked at the small cafe Madam P was indicating.

“That looks lovely.” Madam P looked at her, then glanced up before she led her inside.

“Did you see something up there?”

“No. It’s just so light. It’s nice. Open.” Madam P nodded in agreement.

They sat and perused the menu. When the waitress came, the uniformed woman looked to Madam P for the order.

“I’ll have the ratatouille. Eleni?”

Eleni looked up to see the waitress still looking to Madam P.

“Um…” There was no change. Madam P, who had busied herself with folding the menu, looked up. Eleni saw that she understood the situation immediately.

“My companion is ready to order,” she prompted the waitress. 

“What will it be?” The woman continued to look at Madam P. Eleni saw Madam P’s jaw clench slightly, but otherwise the woman gave no outward signs of disapproval.

“What will you have, Eleni?” she asked kindly.

“The stew, please,” Eleni replied. The waitress still waited. Eleni nodded slightly to Madam P, and the woman understood.

“And we’d like one order of the stew, please.” The waitress nodded, wrote the order down and walked away. Eleni determinedly pushed away the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach. This was nothing.

“I know some of the students at the dance school behave as badly as that.” The comment, made after a moment of uncomfortable silence, surprised Eleni. “And I fear Pryde will be worse.” 

Eleni didn’t correct the woman to say that all the students at the studio, apart from Matthew, saved some kind of special treatment for her. Such a comment would likely be seen as a complaint. Instead, she nodded slightly, glad for the woman’s limited grasp of the situation and her honesty. 

The dance teacher’s gaze softened slightly. “You were right there, though. Sometimes it is not worth it to fight. Better to keep your dignity.” She paused before making the next comment, her eyes sharp. “You must care for Matthew very much.” 

“I came here to dance,” Eleni replied, keeping her face impassive. The teacher raised a speculative eyebrow.

“Well, that may be so. But I can tell you he never watched Jenna dance the way he watches you.” Eleni looked away at that. After a moment, Madam P continued.

“I will do what I can to make things easier for you. Your commitment to dancing is clear to me, and I for one would like to see what you can achieve.” Eleni agreed, but remained silent on the topic. There was something else she needed to ask about.

“About school, Pryde, is there a…book of rules?” Madam Pietrovich looked momentarily confused, then understood.

“Ah, a handbook. Yes, there is a student handbook. Why do you ask?”

“I’d like a copy of it. To review before classes start.” Madam Pietrovich nodded, a trifle sadly. She understood.

“A wise idea. I will get it for you child.”

After that Madam Pietrovich spoke of the UpMountain, its history and various sections. Shopping centers like the one they had been at were found at a couple other locations, and there was one business district. Madam P also told her about the theaters in the entertainment district, and said if Eleni’s ability continued to grow she could expect to perform there someday. Eleni felt excitement at the thought, but then distanced herself from it. 

Their food came, and she enjoyed simple fair of a stew comprised of mushrooms and root vegetables, accompanied by cooked grain.

This was only the second time they had ventured out since Eleni had come to live with Madam P, the first being the trip to the pass card office. In the intervening days, she had stayed at the dance studio or the house. The dancing had been lovely, but the adjustment had taken its toll. The combined facts that Madam P was a stern but fair care giver, and Matthew was a constant presence at the dance studio, helped her through it.

It was a Holday today, which had taken Eleni by surprise. She hadn’t realized the day-off had extended beyond school: DownMountain, there had been no sense of a day of leisure. At this UpMountain mall, the mood was relaxed, and the people they passed well-dressed and happy. There was no sense of the pall of fatigue that hung over the DownMountain.  
In spite of Eleni’s surprise and her nerves, it had been productive venture beyond the clothing. Eleni had been able to procure some grooming materials and the like, another decent upgrade over how she had lived at the Towers. While everything was different, sometimes incrementally sometimes drastically, from her life at the Citadel, a feeling of routine and normalcy had nonetheless started to descend upon her mood. This day out was not so different from the times her mother had had some free time on a Rest Day.

“That scarf is lovely. It brings out your eyes.” Madam P said, taking a break from her more informative discourse. “May I ask why you wear it?”

“Personal reasons,” Eleni replied, stiffening slightly. To her relief, the woman pressed no further.

They were at the end of their meal, and Madam P paid and they went on their way.

“Shouldn’t we get on the closed car?” Eleni pointed out as they left the mall and proceeded to walk by the small station.

“We’re going to take a different route home.” The woman smiled mysteriously, and Eleni wondered what place was worth lugging the bags they held to it. “That’s the business district by the way.” Eleni nodded, looking down the wide street in the direction her mentor pointed. Mentally she placed the segment, which appeared to be a march of stone buildings, just as ornate as anything else since arriving two days ago, in the upper north west corner of the UpMountain. She was learning that the area sprawled through the mountain like tentacles.

Looking ahead, a large triangular shaped opening came into view through the crowds. Light poured from it.

“What’s that?” Eleni asked.

“That is the Atrium, my dear,” Madam P said, a bit smug, and Eleni knew this had been their destination. “The crowning jewel of the UpMountain. Magneto Himself created it, for all to share.” Her voice was reverent. “I think you will enjoy it.”

She did. From the moment she entered, it took her breath away. It was a giant glassed-in cavern, filled with the light of the sun. The massive structure boasted huge glass panels held in place with thick steel beams. The lowest row of windows rose vertically, but after that they angled inward forming gigantic triangular panels that narrowed to come together in a point at the top. The shape reminded Eleni of the bottom of cut diamonds she had seen in pictures. 

She thought the glass glittered, and Madam Pietrovich confirmed that it strands of metal ran through it to strengthen the panels. Below, a network of paths netted grassy segments and planted trees. Some sections appeared to have proper gardens. The young woman vaguely heard her dance teacher explain that many of the trees were fruit trees, tended so that some were always producing fruit, and anyone could partake of them.  
Eleni gazed at the verdant space, longing to relax in its soothing embrace, but her attention was quickly drawn upward and there her eyes stayed. She could see the sky. Not boundless like at the Citadel, but beautiful nonetheless. The sun was just about the disappear over the edge of a mountain time.

She had missed the sky. Living in the Montagne had made her feel like an animal in a hole. Seeing it again almost brought tears to her eyes. The combination of the magnificent structure, the green spaces within and the sky above made her feel as if energy coursed through her veins. The Atrium sang to her. She felt alive. 

Madam Pietrovich noticed the affect the Atrium was having on her, and was pleased. “Yes, it is impressive. It is good you value it.”

Eleni turned her smile, a true smile felt in the very heart of her being, upon the other woman. “It’s magnificent,” was all she said in reply. The older woman smiled, a trifle condescendingly but Eleni barely noticed. Together, they made their slow way through the Atrium, Eleni absorbing every inch of it that she could into her being.

**MATTHEW**

“I think she is adjusting well. She is quiet and keeps to herself when she can, but is not rude and is willing to help around the house. And she is very dedicated to her dancing,” Madam P paused, then gave a small laugh. “I think the highlight for her, however, was the discovery that she had her own bathroom. I swear she nearly fainted when I showed it to her, then the next day she holed herself up in there for over two hours!” The woman chuckled again, but it was fond. “I’d forgotten what it was like to have a teenager in the house.” Her tone turned sad, and she fell silent.

Matthew was relieved by what he heard from the conversation between his dance teacher and his father. While he had seen Eleni at the dance school the past few of days, she hadn’t been forthcoming about her new life with Madam P, beyond indicating that everything was ‘fine’.

He knew that to be a lie. The first day, he had constantly had the distinct sense through their interactions and the bond that she was barely holding on. By the next morning, when he had met her at the dance school, she seemed to have recovered, but as the day went on she had quickly become more frayed. She had gone back to the house for the afternoon, and Matthew, disappointed, had returned to his own home. Yesterday being Holday, he hadn’t seen her, but had distantly sensed a sort of fatigue building up in the middle of the day, though it had then suddenly dissipated in a sense of wonder. He wished he could ask her about that.

Her struggles had dampened his own attitude. When he had brought her to the dance studio, he had envisioned them sitting together in the auditorium, like his old friends did, having quiet conversations about her new life. That hadn’t happened, though they did dance together each day they were at the studio. Nonetheless, Matthew was looking for ways to ease the transition for Eleni. 

Taking advantage of the pause in the nearby conversation, he stood and walked over to his father and Madam P.

“Madam P, would you mind if we stayed for dinner tonight? Like we used to?” Madam P blinked at the unexpected request, but then broke out in a delighted smile.

“Of course! You are always welcome. Maybe it will help Eleni get acclimated as well.” Adam said nothing, but looked at Matthew as if evaluating him. Matthew ignored his father’s scrutiny and, satisfied, went back to watching the class at the center of the room, as Madam P and Adam moved on to work with other students.

Eleni was in a group class for the first time today, along with Jenna, Alicia and Cordelia, the other top female dancers at the school. Madelyn Frost, Jenna’s mother, was teaching them. The past few days, Eleni had been given private lessons by Madam P as the teacher brought her up to speed and learned the new dancer’s strengths and weaknesses better. The class had only just started, and now that the conversation he had been eavesdropping on was over, he took the opportunity to move closer to the group as he continued with his own warm up.

The room they were in was the largest of the studio rooms found in the building that housed the auditorium. It was a unique room: while one side was straight and lined with mirrors, and a barre, as one would expect in any rehearsal room, the other side was shaped like a slightly flattened trefoil. The side walls curved in towards the center at first creating two smaller rehearsal areas, the after coming to a point on each side, they arched back to meet in the middle to form the back of the largest rehearsal area. The curved wall was lined all along with a barre as well.

The shape allowed music to be played in each segment without greatly interfering with the sounds of the other two areas. It also allowed Madam P to supervise multiple classes taught by different teachers. Most often those classes were taught by Adam and Madelyn.

“Thank you, Cordelia. Now, what are your thoughts girls?” The young dancer with short, bushy light brown-hair and beige skin returned to the group after finishing the short segment they were practicing. From Ms. Frost’s question, Matthew knew they were doing peer critiques. “Eleni, why don’t you start?”

“I thought her steps seemed a bit rushed. It placed stress on the presentation.” Madelyn nodded at this, miming faint interest with her green eyes, which stood out against her pale skin. Then, smoothing her vibrant red hair as if uncomfortable, she moved on without comment. 

“Alicia?”

Another reasonable critique, not so different from Eleni’s.

“Ah yes, thank you for pointing out the toes. Cordelia, you really must work on keeping your toes sharp. Don’t get sloppy. Jenna you’re turn.”

Another critique, another highlight of something Jenna had said.

“Eleni, you’re up.” Matthew shifted so he could watch her dance. She performed the short piece and returned to the group.

“Alicia, you’re first.” The dark-skinned woman with straight black hair looked at Madelyn as if she had no idea what the woman was talking about.

“I don’t have anything to comment upon, Ms. Frost.” Madelyn paused, but then moved on. “Jenna.”

“Well, I hate to say this to someone who is practicing at our level, but her jettes are a bit—” she made an expression that suggested they were terrifying. They had been nothing of the sort. Matthew growled internally. “I know that is a fairly basic element, and hate to highlight it, but I want to be honest.”

“Thank you, Jenna. Eleni, please take note. I thought you seemed a bit off balance on your landing myself. Work on those.” Eleni nodded.

“Cordelia.”

“Where do I begin? I mean, it’s obvious she has only been dancing for a short while. Really, Ms. Frost, I don’t know how you can stand it, having to act like she is at our level. But…”

“Cordelia, just pick one thing in that case.”

Cordelia proceeded to shred everything about Eleni’s performance. Madelyn cut her off a minute into the critique.

“She had some good points there, Eleni. Please keep them in mind.” Madelyn didn’t bother to point out which were good points. Matthew thought there had been none. 

The class proceeded in this manner. Matthew warmed up there for as long as he could, but was eventually claimed by Adam to work on a few skills he was lost during his break from dancing.

When they were both finished, Matthew joined Eleni in the seats at the side of the room where she was taking a water break.

“So, how did it go?” Eleni shrugged.

“Fine.” He twisted his mouth.

“I heard some of it earlier. I know they aren’t being nice. You know that most of what they are saying is crap, right? And Alicia didn’t say anything at all.” He pointed that out as a positive. Eleni looked at him for a long moment.

“Alicia acts like I don’t exist.” Matthew paused, wondering if perhaps she was exaggerating. Eleni continued to survey him. She seemed to come to some conclusion and looked away. “It’s nothing in the end. Don’t worry about it.”

That afternoon after lunch they danced together on the stage as they had done the past two days. Matthew did his best to ignore the catcalls from the other students who had come to open dance. Afterwards, as they were getting ready to go change, Eleni started to say good bye for the evening.

“Adam and I are coming for dinner tonight.” He said, pleased with himself. Eleni was not so pleased.

“Are you sure that is a good idea? It’s just going to encourage,” she gestured at the other students, “them.” He thought of the things that had been yelled at them while they danced.

“I don’t care,” he shrugged it off. “We’re friends.” And if he stayed away, they would never be more than that. Smiling reassuringly at her, he went to change.

Dinner was pleasant, even a bit nostalgic. He, Adam and Jalisa had eaten dinner frequently with Madam P when they were young. The woman had been instrumental in convincing Adam to adopt, to the point of ordering him to the adoption center on the very day Matthew and Jalisa had been brought it. She had also played an active role in their upbringing. 

As they had entered their teenaged years, however, they had come less and less, and often it had been only Adam and Matthew. Eventually, Jenna had become a common addition with Jae there only on occasion.

“Are you ready for school?” Adam asked. Eleni looked up after a moment of silence and realized he had been talking to her.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“She’ll take her tests next week,” Madam P provided. “You are a bit nervous, aren’t you?” Matthew admired his teacher’s sharp eye. He had felt a spike of anxiety from Eleni at the mention of school.

“Well, I don’t think I will do very well on those tests.”

“Why would that be my dear?” Matthew stopped himself from gasping out loud as he understood. He cleared his throat to hide his reaction.

Of course. Eleni had been schooled in a completely different system and language. Even with her mutant ability, she wouldn’t know the things that were taught here. 

Eleni glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, a warning. She had felt his reaction. The bond became tinged with hesitation.

“Well, it’s just that, I’ve never really been into school.” Madam P’s eyes went stern. She was a stickler for academics, and never took someone’s passion for dance as an excuse for poor effort at school.

“Well, consider this your second chance.”

“Yes, Madam P,” Eleni said meekly, again glancing at Matthew.

After dinner, Madam P excused Eleni and Matthew from cleaning up, saying she and Adam had some things they needed to discuss. The two young people adjourned to the living room where they sat on the couch and talked. Matthew was happy to finally have some time alone with Eleni.

“Matthew, I’m not sure you should have dinner here,” Eleni said to start. He shrugged, knowing she was worried about what their classmates would say.

“What’s the harm? They’ll get bored of it all at some point.” 

Eleni looked away, not satisfied with his answer. 

“Matthew, it—.” She cut off.

“What?” She shook her head after a moment of thought.

“Never mind. Anyway, I have some other things I wanted to ask you about.”

Eleni spent the rest of the evening quizzing him on things she had noticed about the UpMountain: people flying in the Atrium, the temple of The Cult of the Magnetist, questions about what school would be like, and, of course, the bond. He patiently answered her questions, and to her disappointment had nothing new to add to the last one. For his part, however, he was happy to once again be a source of information, and enjoyed their time together.

When Adam tapped on the wall indicating it was time to go, Matthew left reluctantly. He was up and out early the next morning, and was waiting outside the doors of the dance school when Madam P. opened them. She gave him an arched look, but then helpfully informed him that Eleni was in the auditorium.

“Morning!” he called as he approached the stage where she was idly practicing a few steps. She turned and gave a small smile.

“Good morning, Matthew.”

“Mind if I join?” Some light practice would be a good way to start warming up, he decided. She spread her hands magnanimously, and he grinned as he made his way onto the stage.

Later, he sat watching Eleni dance under the stern eye of Madam P in the large studio as he sat for a water break. Morning classes had ended a short while ago, and it was almost time to break for lunch. A voice behind him took him by surprise. 

“They are so annoying aren’t they? They’ve been like that for months now. I wish they’d go have another affair and be interesting!” Jenna plopped down in the chair beside him. She was looking to the left in disgust. 

Matthew didn’t need to look to know what she was talking about. His father and Jenna’s mother were standing in that direction, idle at the moment. Their heads were bent together, and they had glanced in his direction a couple of times, leaving no doubt as to the topic of their conversation. He had been ignoring them.

“They never had an affair. It was one night,” he muttered, not really caring. One night with devastating consequences for Adam, he thought randomly as he continued watching Eleni. Jenna continued to sit next to him as if they were having a companionable moment.

“Is she really that good?” she said after a moment. Her tone suggested she wasn’t talking about dancing.

He glanced at Jenna, then back at Eleni in silence, not dignifying her suggestion with an answer. His former girlfriend had sought him out several times, and always stood closer to him than he was comfortable with. He shifted away in his seat.

“She doesn’t know you like I do. There’s no way. I know every part of you, Mattie, and you know it.” Her voice had gone soft. Unbidden, memories of just how well Jenna knew him, and in what way, came to mind. They made Matthew feel…

He cleared his throat and stood up. He determinedly thought about how Jenna had made him feel when they broke up. The condescending things she had said to him, and the contempt in her voice. 

His eyes caught on Eleni doing a complex move. It occurred to him that she understood him far better than Jenna ever had. Eleni knew things about him that he had never been able to share with Jenna. Eleni didn’t see him as a beautiful prize with a slightly inconvenient past; she accepted him as he was. He just hoped that what he was, was enough.

Watching Eleni, he forgot the world around him. He felt something he could only call wonder when he realized the thoughts that had just crossed his mind about Eleni were all completely true. He became aware of how badly he wanted her, and the poignant emotion started to become painful.

Jenna spoke again, shocking him out of his trance. She had stood up as well, and now put her hand on his arm and stepped close.

“Mattie, that’s not all we were, no matter what anyone says. You know that, too. We can have that back, all of it.” There was truth to what she said, he knew that, but it was weak compared to what he saw in front of him. 

“Maybe that’s not all she is, either,” he replied, and shaking Jenna’s hand off, he walked away. 

The days slipped into a routine. Dance classes in the morning, Eleni and Matthew dancing together in the afternoon, dinner at Madam P’s and then some time to talk, where Eleni continued to learn everything she could about the UpMountain from Matthew. 

Holday came three days later, to Eleni’s slight shock. She hadn’t known there was a day-off during the week: there had been little indication of that in the Sewers, other than the increase in kids at the Towers. Matthew realized that he had never noticed a sense of a day of leisure DownMountain on Holdays, either.

Madam P used many Holdays for errands, and she was going to take Eleni with her this time, so Matthew’s plan of spending the day with the young woman was thwarted. He accompanied his father to the vineyard instead, and spent the day reviewing stock and tallying numbers. The next day they were back to the routine at the dance school, as the days dwindled towards the start of academic schooling.

G came up again two days after the Holday with Bright and Hulio. Hulio had an audition at the recording studio, and that event had triggered the group visit. G left Scarlet in charge when he wasn’t at the Towers, but didn’t like to spend a lot of time away.

When Matthew joined them, they were trying to calm Hulio down. The young man was quite nervous about his audition.

“I’m gonna choke, I know it. Been singing since I was like 2, and it’s not going to happen today.”

G scoffed. “Just get it over with. Really. If you do bomb, well, then it means more of your sweet tunes for the DownMountain.” Hulio glared at G. If he wanted to have any sort of career in music, the UpMountain was the only real option.

Eleni finished practicing and came over. G greeted her warmly, and Matthew was surprised to see her smile in welcome.

“You all are a sight for sore eyes,” she said quietly as she joined them.

“That bad, huh?”

“Nothing I didn’t expect.” Matthew narrowed his eyes remembering she had said something similar before. He got up and moved so he was sitting in front of her instead of on the other side of the group.

“You’ve been holding your own. Showing these spoiled brats the meaning of dignity,” he said. She looked at him, taking in his proximity, and shrugged.

“I hope you’re including yourself in that comment, Mattie,” G mumbled, and then smiled brightly at the glare Matthew gave him.

“How’s the dancing going, Elle?”

“Good. Madam P started me on partnering today.” Her excitement at that was clear. G flicked his eyes towards Matthew in an unspoken question. Eleni gave a small laugh, that was more like a smirk. “No, we are not allowed to partner. I’m working only with Adam at the moment.” Matthew made a sour face at the reminder, and the fact that Eleni was using it to make fun of him.

“That Madam P is a wonder. Most intelligent person I have ever met,” G commented with mock gravity.

“Actually, I haven’t seen you partner with anyone, Matthew,” Eleni commented innocently. G rolled his eyes heavenward.

“She is nothing short of a diety…” Matthew fake-punched G in the arm.

“I start tomorrow.” Matthew was not looking forward to that. G made a sign of resignation.

“At least Elle will be protected from your…unsavory tendencies.” Matthew gave him a tired look, and the group tittered with laughter.

The conversation shifted to the mundane, and after a few minutes Madam P called Eleni back to the stage.

“How are things really going?” G took the opportunity to quiz Matthew. He shrugged.

“I think they are actually going pretty well. I mean, the others aren’t nice, sure, and they aren’t going to be interested in being friends, but they aren’t being that bad, either. And Elle just lets it all slide off her back.” G looked at Matthew for a long moment.

“What sort of things are they doing?” 

“Catcalls, being overly harsh or dismissive…pretending she doesn’t exist.” G snorted at the last.

“I can never decide if that one is the best or the worse. It means you don’t have to listen to them, but over time…” he let his voice trail off, and Bright, who sat on the other side of him, hummed in agreement. Matthew looked away in discomfort. 

Eleni was getting up to dance. He sat back to watch, and noticed G looking at him out of the corner of his eye. He ignored it.

The next day showed the lie in Matthew’s report to G. He and Eleni were dancing in tandem during open dance as they did every day. Today they were on the stage. The teachers had all claimed the large or small studios, and the auditorium contained only students. Their audience was less than appreciative as usual, but Matthew thought he was getting pretty good at ignoring the rude things that were yelled at them. The first few days they had caused him to lose his place in the dance. Eleni never stopped, no matter what they said.

He was mentally patting himself on the back when he heard the fall.

“Eleni are you O--?” He froze, and his concern died on his lips. It took a moment for his mind to connect that the girl sprawled on the floor, her bare, bald head shining under the lights, was Eleni. 

Before he could do anything, she scrambled up and was searching for her scarf. He saw it at the corner of the stage, and retrieved it for her. He could feel an object tucked into the folds of the fabric. Eleni quickly reclaimed the scarf from him.

There was laughter from the audience, and a couple of snide remarks.

“He’s got the brain, and she’s got the bald! Put ‘em together and you got a Xavier!” Came one. Matthew glared at the other students.

“Are you ok?” he asked. She nodded curtly and began leaving the stage. He wanted to follow her, but his anger got the better of him first. He stalked to the front of the stage.

“Jenna, that’s grounds for expulsion.”

“Mattie, I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“You never use your powers on another student. Especially while they are dancing. She could have been hurt.” He glared down at his former girlfriend, who was in the front row with a couple of her friends. She looked back up at him. Suggestively.

“Mattie, why don’t you come down here and we can talk about it without screaming?”

After staring at her for a moment, Matthew turned and walked away.

“If you do that again, I’m going straight to Madam P.” Jeering followed his threat, and he fought keep his anger down. Jogging off the stage and down the hall towards Madam P’s house, he was able to catch up with Eleni as she was exiting through the door that led to the kitchen.

“Elle, are you ok?” he asked again. She turned to him and answered once she reached the table.

“I’m fine.”

“I’m so angry that she did that.”

“It’s in the past, now.” Matthew wished Eleni wouldn’t dismiss things so easily. Not that he had any better idea of how to deal with them. Her next question surprised him. “She can move things with her mind?” She unconsciously rapped the table top with her knuckles, her eyes intense upon him.

Matthew nodded.

“A telekinetic.” He grimaced. “It’s another reason we were so popular together. Like Jean Grey and Scott Summers all over again.” He paused, unhappy with that. “Or Jean Grey and Charles Xavier…” Then he grimaced and shook his head. “No, let’s not go there...” 

Eleni gave him an irritated look and turned to make her way into the hall.

“Those names mean nothing to me you realize.” Matthew blinked and started after her. She turned into the living room and started pacing.

“But you knew Eric Lensher, who was Magneto.”

“Yes, because he was demonized where I came from. All the rest of the mutants were his faceless minions.” 

“That’s not how it was.” She rounded on him in front of the couch.

“It’s doesn’t really matter now, does it? What does matter is what all of them can do!” She gestured almost violently back towards the dance school and anger and anxiety flared through the bond. “Could you tell me the abilities of the other students? It seems like a good thing to know, whether they are supposed to use those abilities or not.” 

Any proactive use of a mutant ability was technically forbidden at the dance school. He had told her that when they had come UpMountain.

He nodded grimly, and, sitting on the couch, he began listing them. Cordelia had small retractable claws. Eleni took a deep breath when she heard that one. Alicia could redistribute portions of her mass, though not change her bones, making herself thinner, fatter, lopsided, etc. 

“So, she’s definitely doing that to improve her dancing.” Matthew shifted uncomfortably.

“She’s not supposed to.” But Jenna had said as much before. “If it ever becomes an issue, she’ll be taken before a truth teller.”

“A truth teller? What’s that?”

“Not what, who. Certain mutants have the ability to discern truth from lie when someone speaks. Empaths, telepaths, and occasionally someone who is born solely with the ability to detect a lie. It’s thought to be a subset of telepa—” Eleni was not interested in the theory.

“Who are these people?” she demanded.

“Well, they get trained and registered. I’ll probably do it someday. But, they are usually procured for official uses; it is very expensive to hire a truth teller.” Eleni had reached up and gripped her head.

“But they go around and can tell whether everyone is lying? They can do this all the time?”

Matthew hedged. “Well, in my case, I have to be trying. Like I said, I never go into someone’s head without their permission. So, no, it’s not like that for me. As for the others.” He thought for a moment, then continued with confidence. “You have to say something to them. They can’t tell if you are, say, thinking a lie or thinking of lying.”

“Are any of the other students here--?"

“No.” 

“At the academic school?” 

“I’m the only one at our school. They, we I suppose, are very rare.” Matthew replied, emphasizing the latter. He could feel her distress, and didn’t want to worsen it. He supposed suddenly being put in a place where someone could tell if you were lying at any time would be a bit disconcerting.

Eleni sank her head, still gripped in her hands, onto her chest and stayed like that for a long moment. Given her worry, he considered mentioning the shape shifters, but decided against it. There were only three, anyway, and all employed by the military. He’d mention it at another time.

“Eleni?” He finally asked, worried. Her emotions were a tumultuous mix of fear, anxiety and growing determination.

“Matthew, what is it like at school? Really. Don’t try to make it nice.” He hesitated, concerned. Irritation flared, and she snapped at him. “I’ve already let myself forget about this twice.” She tipped her head back in annoyance, which he sensed was directed at herself. “Life just seems so normal here! More normal in some ways than what I had at the Citadel. Aargh!” She exclaimed in frustration.

Matthew recalled her comment from the other day, and took the opportunity. 

“Eleni, they didn’t know you were a mutant. Your life should have been normal there, but it wasn’t. Why is that?” Eleni froze, startled by the question, then slightly chagrined. She thought for a moment, considering him, then shrugged. 

“I was illegitimate. It’s seen very badly in the Citadel.” She didn’t explain further. 

Matthew breathed out slowly. “So, that’s why you are used to people treating you the way they do here.” She nodded, and then took control of the conversation again.

“But I’m not prepared for people who can move things without touching them. I need to know the rules, whether they break them and what they can do. I need to know their powers, all of them.” She said this determinedly, and Matthew was momentarily taken aback.

“Elle, I don’t think you need to worry about it so much.”

“Matthew, just tell me what it is like at school.”

“The same as the dance school, more or less. Students are not supposed to use their powers against another.”

“Does it happen though?” Matthew hedged, and she glared at him. He wilted.

“Occasionally.” 

“And there will be more students, and relatively more time unsupervised than at the dance school, right?” He nodded reluctantly, then was horrified as he felt Eleni’s determination go iron hard. She stood and started pacing again.

“Elle, I think you are taking this too far. I’ll be there, and overall everyone usually follows the rules. I hate that you are thinking about it like something you have to prepare yourself for!” Eleni just looked at him. 

“Matthew, I need you to tell me as many of the powers at the school as you can, who has them and what they look like.” He looked at her, dismayed, but then nodded.

“Tomorrow, I’ll bring last year’s year book.”

“OK. Let’s finish up with the students at the dance school for now.”

Matthew did bring the book the next day, but he had forgotten that he and his father had a previously scheduled dinner, and they didn’t make much headway. Matthew quickly scribbled in what he considered the most dangerous mutant powers before he left, and Eleni kept the book to started learning faces.

It was still on his mind when he arrived at the Hellfire Club with his father a short while after leaving Madam P’s.

“It’s such a pleasure to have you here again, Adam.” Sirah Allerdyce’s smile was wide and generous. Her eyes here not.

She led them to a round table on one of the tiered levels of the Hellfire club. They weren’t a large party; Sirah and Reginald Allerdyce and Selene of course, then Matthew and Adam.

Sirah, their hostess and the owner of the club, was a large woman with medium brown skin, and black hair in tight waves, which was swept up into an elegant bun. Her eyes were dark and calculating.

“It’s been a long time,” Adam replied as he settled into his seat and glanced around the well-appointed club. It was a Thursday, and there was a small band performing at the front of the dance floor below. Several other tables around the large tiered lounge were occupied, but as many were vacant. 

Tomorrow, Friday and the following Holday, the music would be louder, the lights lower, the crowds larger, and the club would pulse with energy. Matthew remembered it from the times he had come with Jenna.

Sirah glanced up at the ceiling.

“I remember when you shot an energy bolt at the center lighting, causing a shower of sparks! Everyone loved it, except my mother. She was in a fit over the damage. But your mother always had a way with my father, and it never amounted to much.” 

Picking up on an undertone in the conversation Matthew glanced at Adam. He recalled the pictures he had seen of Adam’s mother. She had been a rare beauty – a slight, delicate figure, with golden skin, eyes and hair and translucent wings. Adam had mentioned once that her lightweight frame, which had allowed her to fly, was also the reason Adam was an only child.

The man was clearly discomforted by the conversation, but smiled and seemed to shrug it off.

“A different time, a different person.” He tried to put it all in the past, but Sirah wouldn’t let it go.

“A different person indeed. You know, I applauded Madelyn when she made her move. It’s a pity she didn’t follow through, or clean up the mess she made.” Matthew frowned, but followed Adam’s lead and kept eating his salad in silence. 

Glancing surreptitiously around the table, Matthew saw Selene glaring at her mother. She caught him looking at her and her face transformed into a smile. Earrings of emerald and diamond sparkled on her ears. A matching necklace graced her neck. Her hair was swept up elegantly, and she wore an emerald diadem on top of the lush black locks. Her dress was silver and strapless. When she had stood to welcome them, it had formed to her figure before descending in a smooth, shimmering cascade. She was dressed to impress and conquer.

Matthew adjusted the collar of his heather grey suit self-consciously. It was of fine quality, and the straight lines emphasized his broad shoulders. The round-collar of the style allowed a glimpse of the silky sapphire blue shirt beneath. The pants fit snugly and sported additional sapphire accents, which were again echoed by the gold and sapphire earrings he wore. He looked good, and he knew it. Nonetheless, he made a note to himself to get the latest style.

“Matthew, it is so good to have you back.” Selene’s smile seemed genuine, and Matthew found himself smiling in return. “And you’ll be finishing up at school, I assume?” He cleared his throat in embarrassment.

“Yes, well, I did that to myself didn’t I?” He chuckled and was charming in his self-deprecation. Selene was in the same year as he had been, and was now done. “I’ll be there for the next semester to finish.”

“And after that?” Reginald jumped into the conversation. Selene took after her father and he shared her green eyes, tanned skin and black hair.

“I haven’t decided, yet.” Adam had made some subtle suggestions about law, and G had made a couple of mentions about Matthew pursuing civil management, but Matthew wasn’t particularly interested in either option.  
“Well, the military is always a good option.” Adam nearly choked on his salad. “Yes, that’s right! You sister has already gone that route, correct?”

“She has,” Matthew responded reluctantly. He didn’t want to talk about Jae. Things were worse between them now that Eleni was living UpMountain, something he hadn’t believed possible. They couldn’t be in the same room without threat of an altercation. “They approached me a while back. I considered it, but I’m confident I would not be a good candidate for military service.”

“Many people think that, but the truth is that a military training is never a waste. You can move on to, or return to, something after. It would open up many new possibilities for you, both in terms of a career or other…activities.” Sirah’s eyes were intent on him as she shared this information.

“Mother’s right,” Selene chimed in. “I entered at the Cadet level at the beginning of the summer, even though in the end I expect to run the club. The contacts alone make the experience worth it.”

“I’ll take that into consideration,” Matthew said, hoping he sounded sincere. Sirah’s eyes remained trained on him, and he felt like a mouse trying to stare down a cat.

“We spoke of some of you father’s misdeeds,” Selene’s father spoke up. “I hope you don’t mind if I do the same with you.” Matthew did mind, but Reginald didn’t notice or didn’t care. “All with the best of intentions, of course. But, really, Matthew, what are you doing with that…girl?”

“Her name is Eleni. She is an exceptionally good dancer.”

“Dancer, huh?” Selene’s father laughed as if he shared a secret joke with Matthew. 

“I grew up with ballet. I don’t find it so strange that I want to help another artist of skill.”

“Yes, you grew up with ballet. I believe we have Adam’s mother to thank for that as well.” Sirah mumbled as she took a bite of her salad. Matthew glanced at Adam. The woman was baiting him, but Matthew was honestly curious. He knew very little about Adam’s parents. 

“Did your mother dance, too?” Adam shook his head.

“She supported my dancing,” was all he said. He gave Matthew a look that told him not to pursue the subject. Unfortunately, his question had given Sirah an opening.

“Oh, no! Candace Summers was known for other activities. Trangpeng Pryde worked hard to win her, everything that came with her, and…everything she brought down upon herself.” Her tone suggested she didn’t mean the vineyards for which the Summer’s family was famous. Matthew saw Adam’s jaw clench, but then the man suddenly smiled.

“Ah, Sirah, I thought this dinner would be difficult after being out of the circles for so long. But you are bringing back all the wonders this lifestyle has to hold. I’ll be happy to live with the memory of tonight for the rest of my quiet days.” 

To Matthew’s surprise, Sirah scowled for a moment before falling silent and bending to her food. He noticed Reginald look at his wife in irritation. The man looked back to their guests.

“So, Adam, how does the business go?”

The conversation fell to the mundane for a while, with Sirah taking no more veiled shots. As courses were brought and cleared, they spoke politely of the latest UpMountain news, the decisions that were coming before the Council of Barons and the upcoming school year. At the dessert course, Selene made a show of turning their custards into ice cream with her freezing powers. 

They were just finishing up over coffee when a strident voice interrupted.

“By the Helm, I do believe it is the Summers’. I thought for sure I was mistaken. So, you’ve emerged from your hole.” A tall figure had joined them at the table. Medium length, luscious black hair framed a handsome, pale face with striking blue eyes. The woman, who came to stand to the left of Selene, wore a smart suit that hugged her fit form. Her eyes were fixed on Matthew, her smile viciously triumphant.

“Lady Tracy Lensher. An honor. Well met, I trust?” Adam provided the greeting, and her eyes briefly looked to him, then returned to Matthew.

“Of course, Adam. How goes the vineyard?”

“Promising harvest this year.” She nodded approvingly. 

“Just the news I want to hear. So, Matthew, this new…’friend’ of yours…she’s kind of pretty.” Matthew bristled, but he tried to project calm indifference.

“She’s not really your type, Lady Tracy. Jenna’s still free if you’re getting bored.” He looked straight back at her. Tracy’s eyebrows raised in delight. She glanced meaningfully back at what Matthew assumed was her table, where an attractive young woman waited.

“Not bored. Never that.” She looked back as Matthew wondered just which popular young woman she had snagged this time. “Jenna was very special, though. You set me a good challenge there. One I clearly met.” He just stared at her after that comment. Reginald Allerdyce tried to ask Tracy a question, but she spoke over him. “So, what monumental occasion has brought both the Summers’ men back into the realm of the living?” 

Matthew saw Selene open her mouth to respond, but quickly provided an answer.

“Selene cornered me,” he said the truth as if it were a jest, and smiled at both the woman. Tracy looked down at Selene, an arched expression on her face.

“Selene? How, interesting…” The two women looked at each other for a moment, in silence. Then Tracy looked to Adam. “And you brought your father along. How sweet.”

Sirah, silent throughout this exchange, finally spoke.

“Lady Tracy, I was mentioning to Matthew earlier how beneficial a military career can be. Wouldn’t you agree?” Tracy focused on Sirah.

“Yes, I would heartily agree. If you ever have any questions, Matthew, please come to me. I am finding the experience quite enlightening.” Her eyes never left Sirah’s during the brief speech. Tracy was currently an officer in the military, a historically common occupation for the Lensher heir.

“You might want to get back to your date, Lady Tracy. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to leave her bored.”

“That never happens.” Finally, the two women broke eye contact. Tracy smiled graciously to the rest of the table. Her eyes came to rest on Matthew and Selene for a moment longer than the rest, then, smirking, the woman sauntered back to her table.

Matthew was glad when they said their final good byes to the Allerdyces, and he and his father left for the closest closed car station. 

Matthew knew he shouldn’t, but couldn’t resist asking.

“Those things she was saying about your moth-?”

“All true.” Adam cut him off with his clipped reply. Matthew paused. 

He didn’t care about the suggestion of infidelity. That was a common story UpMountain where often marriages were more or less arranged, and for many, particularly for those who preferred the same sex, the unions were in truth only an exercise in proving their loyalty to the Montagne by producing children to claim their assets. It wasn’t unusual for people to follow their heart’s desire once they had fulfilled their economic, genetic or political role.

“I’m sorry if that upset you. I was just wondering, what did she mean with the comment about bringing things down on herself?” Adam sighed.

“I’m sorry I snapped at you. Sirah got me worked up, that’s all. I still don’t know the details, but apparently the affair between my mother and her father had far reaching implications. Some even connect it with the South Slope Cave-In.”

“The one that killed the former Head?” Both the Head and her husband had been killed in the disaster. Adam nodded.

“My parents were there, too. That’s how they died, and Sirah’s father was killed there, though her mother survived.” Then the man shook his head again. “It’s all speculation. I don’t know the whole story, and don’t particularly want to. It’s in the past.” Matthew looked at his father oddly as Adam’s tired words reminded him of Eleni.

“Do you ever think of going back to that life?” When he was younger, Matthew had felt cheated at times seeing what his father was making them miss out on. He didn’t care so much now, though his sister still did. Adam shook his head.

“That lifestyle made me lose everything that was important to me. And I didn’t just lose it, I destroyed it. No, I never want to go back to that.” 

“You aren’t tempted even a little? I mean, at the least, it makes things so much easier.” Adam looked at Matthew.

“Matthew, I have found myself very content over these years. I have hardly ever missed what I gave up.” Then he tilted his head to the side as if in compromise. “I did, once, used the Summers’ name to get something I wanted.” Matthew raised his eyebrows surprise.

“What was that?”

“You and Jalisa. And it is the best thing I ever did.” Matthew nodded his appreciation, but then looked down, not sure what else to say. They walked on in silence.

“Dad, did you really blow out the lights in there?” This time Adam laughed and looked sheepish, if slightly satisfied.

“Yes. I had Gilan tunnel a hole to the outside so I could charge up properly before I did it. We both got in serious trouble.” Matthew smiled. His father rarely spoke of his youthful escapades, though apparently there had been plenty. Unfortunately, he didn’t share any more. He changed the subject as their reached the closed car station.

“Matthew, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about. It’s in regards to Eleni.”

Matthew tensed.

“I’ve been watching you two, closely, and have come to the conclusion that there is indeed nothing more than friendship between you. I’ve also noted that this is a situation it appears you would like to change.” Clenching his teeth in frustration at the intrusion into his privacy, Matthew hoped Adam was the only one who had noticed his feelings for Eleni. He found himself thinking about her at all hours of the day.

“I told you we were only friends from the beginning. You are the one who was imagining something that wasn’t there.” He hoped his father would take the hint, and decide everything else he’d seen was of his own imagining as well. No such luck.

“Matthew, your feelings are clear to me at least. And, I think, to Eleni. She, on the other hand, does not seem to be reciprocating beyond friendship.” 

You don’t have to rub it in, Matthew thought, but he didn’t say anything. After a moment Adam continued.

“I just want to make sure you are careful, both for your sake and hers. At some point, if she is still not showing interest, the best thing to do is to let it go. There’s nothing you can do in that case.”

“Thanks for the support, Dad,” he said sarcastically. Adam sighed in frustration.

“She’s in a difficult situation, Matthew. Don’t make it any harder for her.”

Matthew didn’t reply to that inane comment. They spent the rest of the trip home in silence.

The next night at dinner, just four days before school was to start, the topic of conversation was Eleni’s test results. They weren’t good.

“So,” Madam P was wrapping up the dismal report, “based on the results, she will be moved down two class levels. They will not move her farther than that due to her age, and she will receive additional support outside of standard classes.”

Eleni had sat silent through the entire report, after giving her consent that Madam P could share it with Adam and Matthew. Matthew felt his stomach sink as he heard it, and quickly tried to suppress the feeling. Too late, as Eleni looked up and caught his eye.

“What do you think, Matthew? How does this change things for me?” Her eyes were sharp on him. He squirmed uncomfortably.

“Well, I thought we would be together at school. You see, there are 5 grades, and the top two share most of their classes, and as such their schedules are similar. This change means you will now be grouped with the lower three classes…”

“So, I won’t see very much of you.” She said it flatly, and gave the impression that she was simply digesting the information. He was privy to the spike of anxiety that preceded the comment.  
Later, sitting in the living room, she brought it up again.

“The people you have been telling me about…they are from the top two classes, right?” Matthew nodded. Eleni cursed in her native tongue, then took a deep breath. He sensed she was bracing herself against the knowledge that much of the preparation she had been making for school was now irrelevant. Once calm, she looked straight at him.

“Well then, let’s go back to the beginning.”

Matthew’s head was hurting by the time Adam came to collect him to go. He almost felt relief, instead of regret, at saying good night to Eleni as they left. Almost.

His father was blessedly quiet on the closed car ride home, but Matthew’s thoughts weren’t. They were filled with Eleni and impatient for the time they would be more than friends. He acknowledged that it was a not situation to which was he accustomed. To distract himself, he brainstormed ways to ease her anxieties about school. 

Reaching the house, Matthew and his father rounded the back to enter as they always did, through the porch. Matthew made to retreat to his room; he had another book on telepathic theory to read. Eleni continued to ask him about his progress in that area. 

“Matthew, wait a moment. I’d like to talk.”

Matthew’s stomach sank. The fact that Adam had waited until they got home suggested it would be more involved than what they had discussed the previous night. His intuition proved right.

“Mattie, I’ve been talking to Madelyn over the past few months. About you, about Jenna. We’ve been worried for both of you. Jenna’s been putting on a strong front, but Madelyn says that the situation between you two is tearing her up inside. I didn’t bring it up before because you were still so upset. Now, you are in a much better place, you’re seeing Jenna again at the school, and I think you need to know.” Matthew thought back to their conversation from the night before, and got angry.

“Are you telling me to give up on Eleni and go back to her?” Adam quickly raised his hands in defense.

“No. You know I wouldn’t do that. I just want to make sure you understand the entire situation. You and Jenna together were,” he paused for a moment, “you two were amazing together. And I don’t mean your tabloid image, or what everyone else saw. I mean what Madelyn and I saw. Two young people who truly cared about each other; who took care with each other. Madelyn feels much of Jenna’s behavior the past few months has been bravado, the attitude she thinks she has to project to appear on top of things. Her father…,” Adam sighed, “that would be Devon’s way, and Jenna had bought into that way of thinking wholesale. But you know that Jenna can be as nervous and afraid as any of us, and she is, and she doesn’t have you to confide in anymore. Madelyn is worried about what she might do.” 

A picture of Eleni, collapsed on the dance floor looking like a cornered cat about to attack, her bald head shining in the lights, flashed through his head. Madelyn is right to worry, was his thought, but he didn’t share it with his father.

“Dad, I’m not going back to Jenna. That is done. I don’t have those feelings for her anymore.” As he said this, he realized it was completely true, and felt a moment of loss. He and Jenna had had something special. And now it was gone. Adam sat back, his face slack with disbelief. Disbelief and…pain.

“What happened?” The question came out in a desolate whisper, and Matthew looked askance at his father. The man’s expression was wretched. Uncomfortable with the conversation, Matthew sought to end it.

“You wouldn’t understand,” he said flatly. Adam blinked at that, his face clearing to bewilderment and hurt for a moment. Matthew took advantage of the man’s confusion, and left the room mumbling he had something to do.

Once upstairs, however, he found that his mind for once didn’t fill with thoughts of Eleni. He didn’t pull out the book on telepathy. 

Instead, memories of himself and Jenna, once happy but now with a veneer of sadness, drifted through his mind. Laughing and having dinner together at Madam P’s, hanging out with Jae and Adam at home, going out for dinner, bringing down the school dances as the most impressive couple and knowing it, lying close to each other for hours… Two young people who truly cared about each other; who took care with each other, his father had said. Yes, they had been that, and much more. Matthew spent the evening curled up on his bed, mourning for what had once been, and was now lost.

CITADEL 3020.08.23 

DAVE 

The building was quite plain. It didn’t stand out from the other buildings: some subtle tower like protrusions, and a curving of the walls that was unusual if you focused on it. That was it. Dave stopped a man walking by. 

“Excuse me. Is this the Hindu temple?” The man blinked, then nodded. 

“Thank you,” Dave said, and the man walked on. Moving to a bench a short distance away, Dave sat, and surveyed the building. He watched the people walking in and out, and took in the rarity of a religion heretofore unknown to him. 

Dave’s research into the near homogeny he saw in Bloc 7 had led to a lesson in both history and religion. The Citadel was by and large a Christian city. In the chaos after the Devastation, many religions had proclaimed theirs the proper path to navigate the apocalypse God had visited upon the world. The clashes between those varying religions, some old conflicts, some new, had endangered the existence of this small segment of humanity that clung to survival. 

Then, a Christian leader had risen to power, taken a firm grip on the city, and persuaded it into some form of stability. Force was used to the extent that practitioners of other religions who objected to the ascendancy of the Christian church, were systematically subdued or eliminated. 

While that theocracy had dwindled after a few centuries, as power shifted to the militant arm necessary required to keep the population safe in light of fairly frequent mutant threats, the Christian church was still seen as the savior of the city. Dave had known that a few other religions existed, but they all outwardly adopted the same tenants as the dominant religion, and they kept quiet. This was the first time he had seen a place of worship that did not bear a cross. 

After watching the people come and go for a while, and seeing no evidence of any who wore a scarf on their heads, he shook his head at his foolishness. Seeing a couple of headscarves both times he had come to Bloc 7 had reminded him of an old mystery. As he had been investigating the homogeny of the area, which could be tied back to this temple it appeared, he had though he might find another answer as well. 

As he stood to make his way to his fourth meeting with a family who had lost a mutant child, he admitted that his activity had no real basis at all. Eleni’s scarf had been a lie in the end. He didn’t know why he was trying to discover the religion she had pretended to practice. 

_Dave enjoyed the moment, as he turned his girlfriend around the floor of the empty conference room. Of all the dances he had been required to learn, the waltz had been the most frustrating. But now, he glided them across the floor with little thought. He was privately quite pleased with himself._

_His newfound mastery was the reason he knew something was wrong when he stepped on Eleni’s toes. For the first time, it hadn’t been his error that caused that misstep._

_“What’s wrong, Elle?” he asked as they pulled apart and she bent down to rub her foot. He crouched beside her._

_“Nothing,” she said quietly, but he knew it was a lie. _

_It was hard to read Eleni, even for him who had grown up with her. She had become more withdrawn as they entered their teenaged years. While he had suspected something was bothering her earlier in the evening, he hadn’t been certain until she had been so distracted that she made a mistake in the dance._

_“It’s not nothing,” he said quietly as he bent down beside her. He took the hand that wasn’t holding her foot, and squeezed it. “Tell me, Elle.”_

_“Dave, you didn’t! I thought you were past that.” Dave’s head snapped up, and he pulled his hand away from Eleni’s. His father had come over to the edge of the tables, and was giving Dave a disparaging look. _

_“It was me this time,” she said as she stood. Robert Kelly’s eyebrows went up in a dubious expression._

_“You’ve made quite some headway with him, Elle. I’d say the job is done.” With a smile and another warning look at his son, the man left._

_Dave let out the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. Eleni looked up at him, and an amused look on her face._

_“It’s not so bad,” she said. “Let’s keep dancing.”_

_He took her in his arms again._

_“Elle, I know something happened. Please tell me,” he tried again after a minute. He suspected there had been some incident at school. Eleni didn’t like to talk about what her classmates did to her on a daily basis, and Dave knew not to press too hard. This time, however, his instinct told him not to let it go._

_“Really, Dave, it was nothing. Laughably stupid in fact. I don’t know why I’m letting it get to me.”_

_“Well, if that’s the case, tell me and let’s laugh over it.” Eleni shook her head in annoyance but gave in._

_“They pulled my scarf off. I thought they had gotten over that.” Dave sighed out._

_When Eleni was younger, her classmates had found it amusing to pull her scarf off to reveal her bald head. Eleni had taken the bullying quietly, as she always did, but Dave remembered a few times when it had made her cry. He hadn’t seen her cry in years, now. Not since she’d been in the hospital._

_“You’re right. That’s an old joke!” he returned. “Old and tired.” _

_It was. While the schools they had gone to as small children hadn’t been as close in proximity to each other as their current schools were, Dave’s friends had known about Eleni, her scarf, and her lack of hair. They had sometimes joked about her. He had joined in on occasion. _

_He guided himself and Eleni as close to the wall that held the doors as he could get, and out of sight of anyone passing casually in the hall. Then he paused and pulled Eleni to him in a tight hug. Her head went to his shoulder, and he rested his cheek on the scarf in question. Her mother claimed the headwear, as well as shaving their heads, had some religious significance for them. _

_“They said some things. About my appearance and…my future.” Dave didn’t understand the significance of that, but did understand that it had bothered Eleni. And that was saying a lot. He held her tighter for a moment._

_In 5th grade they had moved into adjoined schools, and the teasing had taken place with Eleni present. He’d never forget the way it had made him feel to realize how he’d been talking about her, in spite of the fact he considered them to be close. Understanding on some level that making a scene would only make it worse, he had said nothing, but then walked with Eleni to the office building. He had apologized for his friend’s behavior, but she had just shrugged and said she was used to it._

_He had never again taken part in his friends’ teasing after that. It had dropped off with time and boredom._

_“They don’t matter, Elle,” he said softly, though he knew it wasn’t true. Their world was too small for these people not to matter. This twisting of reality was what Eleni’s mother told her on a regular basis, however, and he willingly encouraged the deception. _

_His slight guilt was assuaged by the fact that his father took steps to improve her experience when he logically could. For instance, when her teachers had routinely graded her low, Robert Kelly had hired a private proctor to join the usual supervisors for the annual standardized test. Those cold, solid scores had proven that Eleni was among the top of her class. Her command of languages was nothing short of astounding._

_“I know.” Eleni said in quiet reply, and the reminder of the lie she believed did seem to calm her. She pulled back, rested one hand on his shoulder, the other out to said waiting for his. “I know.” She said more firmly. They returned to their dancing._

That was the last time their classmates had pulled the scarf off her head. The abuse had quieted after the incident, for several years in fact. Until something worse had taken its place. 

Dave sighed sadly at the memory. He understood all too well now the insinuations her classmates had probably made. He tried to push it all away, but the memory of her soft scarf pressing against his cheek lingered as he mounted the steps to an apartment building. Entering the foyer, he located the correct apartment number and rang the bell. 

Over the past weeks, he had met the remaining two families, one more from Bloc 7 and the other from 3, and found all of them eager to talk to him. He and Kurt had met again, and he had four more families he could contact. Today he was meeting the first of those four. He was trying to get as many meetings as he could in before university classes started in a couple days. 

Dave glanced at the apartment number again, wondering at the delay. He would wait to ring it a second time. He didn’t want to pressure them, but if they didn’t respond they would be the first family who had lost their nerve to speak to him. It would be a disappointment. He resumed his observations of the street looking at the grey broken by green but not really seeing it. Inadvertently, his hand came up to rest on his cheek. 

A buzz behind him alerted Dave to the fact that the family was letting him up. He went through the interior door, and ascended the stair. On the 9th floor, he made his way down the hallway and found a woman waiting for him outside an apartment. 

“Bharti James?” he asked. 

“Yes,” he thought he saw her sigh in relief. She introduced herself, then indicated he should follow her into the apartment. 

“Come on in,” she led him down a hallway, off of which he saw a kitchen and bathroom, into a sitting room which looked out onto the street below. The apartment appeared to be fairly large, from the long hall he saw branching off to the side. A man rose from the floor as he entered, and introduced himself before indicating Dave should sit. He asked if Dave would like something to drink, but Dave politely declined. They all sat on the pillows laid around a low table. 

“My apologies for the wait,” the man continued. “Our other children are being watched down the hall and we had some difficulty getting them all out.” He shared a weary look with his wife, who nodded in tired agreement.

“How many children do you have?”

“6,” the man responded, at the same time the wife said, “7.” Then they stopped and looked at each other. The wife looked down as her husband put an arm around her shoulders. 

“I’ve never gotten used to it,” the wife admitted, sniffing. “Even though it’s been a year.” 

“Would you tell me what happened?” She nodded. 

“He was playing chess with one of his sisters in the boys’ bedroom, and she started screaming. When I went in, he had turned black, like a pit to nowhere, and there were black…holes…appearing in the air around him. It stopped a moment later. He said he was sorry. I, I was frozen to the spot. I knew what it meant, but he was such a good boy. We had just had his 12th birthday. That’s when we got him that chess set…” Here, she broke down and was unable to continue. The husband picked up the story. 

“She tried to hide it.” He meant his wife. “She didn’t tell me. I don’t blame her.” This was said fiercely, as if Dave would judge her for trying to save her son’s life. Dave nodded in agreement. “She said he was sick and needed to stay home for a bit. But, his sister talked at school. She didn’t know any better, she was so scared!” The father was starting to tear up. Dave asked if he wanted to pause, but the man shook his head. 

“They came that day. They almost took my wife. She tried to keep them away from our son. They found him, of course, and injected something into him that made him fall asleep. When they tried to take her for hiding him, I had gotten home at that point, and told them that we had 6 other kids to raise in support of the Citadel and were they going to take a many times Blessed mother from all of them? They stopped at that, but told us our kids would all be retested, and would be monitored at school…” Here his voice did drop off, hopeless. It was rumored that families to whom multiple mutants were born tended to disappear. 

Dave bowed his head in respect, hiding his anger at how they had been treated. 

“I am so sorry for your loss. I have heard several of these stories so far, and intend to hear as many as I can. Every one of them is just as painful as the last. These babies, these kids, these…people are just that, people! I understand their powers present a challenge, but killing every single one on sight is wrong.” He paused, collecting himself. He had said more than he had intended, but something about the couple sitting in front of him told him it had been the right thing to do. “I knew a mutant, who was also killed.” He saw understanding on their faces, and knew they had guessed as much. “I knew her power, it was languages. She could pick up languages at an inhumanly fast pace! How could that be dangerous?” They responded with fierce agreement and he made another spur of the moment decision. “I believe there is another way, and I want the Citadel to start looking for it. That is why I am meeting with families like yourselves. To understand what you go through. To see if there might be support for…change.” 

“What kind of change?” the wife asked her eyes sharp. Dave paused, reevaluating his decision. He hadn’t spoken of his plans so far. Yet, the grief and anger he encountered at each meeting had been consistent. And this woman’s eyes demanded more. 

“If…if I feel there is enough support, I am interested in petitioning for mutant amnesty.” He said the words, then held his breath. 

The parents looked at him, then at each other. The father’s face was more hesitant, but the mother’s only hardened further with determination. 

“How?” Dave knew she wanted this. Just like him. 

“I’m becoming familiar with the laws of the Citadel for one thing, and hope to find a legal method of introducing the amendment. Regardless of how it is done, it will need substantial support, so I will eventually be ramping up to more public events.” Here he held his hands up, although he noted that neither the husband nor the wife blinked when he mentioned going public. “I do not expect that you would join me in that. If you wish to join you are welcome. But as you said, you have 6 more kids to raise and I don’t want to ask anyone to put themselves in a situation that could be difficult for themselves or their families.” 

The husband and wife looked at each other again, then nodded and the wife spoke. 

“You’re right, we are in no position to commit. But know that you have our support if it should come to a vote, and…” she glanced at her husband and mouthed what appeared to be names. The man looked surprised, then worried, so she leaned over and whispered in his ear. He whispered back to her, and she continued. “There are others we can pass your intentions on to, if it is ok with you. We can’t share their names, but they will be discrete. Also, the eldest of our children are as good as grown. They loved their brother dearly. Please let us know if you are planning any events. They might feel comfortable with committing in a way we cannot. We will at least let them know about the events, although we won’t share that we met with you.” 

Dave nodded, a bit stunned. He had never expected this reception. 

“I just ask that you keep my name out of it, for now. If I’m discovered too soon, all of this will come to nothing.” They nodded. “There will be meetings at some point in the future, and I’ll let you know about them so we can spread the news through the Network.” 

Dave felt it was a breakthrough, and floated through the rest of the meeting. The parents spoke more of their son. The wife revealed a great sadness that they had no body for their funeral rites. It was not the first time Dave had heard that. Some of the other families also found their grief incomplete because they had no body over which to mourn. It had surprised Dave, and after some research he found it was true that the bodies were almost always confiscated. Just like Eleni’s and her mother’s. 

They spoke for a short while longer, then Dave excused himself, thanking them for their time, their stories and their support. 

That night, he dared to take out the photo of Eleni even though his mother was home. The sensation on his cheek refused to go away, and the feelings that went along with it had left him with no appetite for dinner, so he had excused himself early. 

He grasped the excitement he had felt speaking to the parents earlier that day as he held the picture tightly in his hands and spoke to it. 

“Elle, I’m going to do it. I am! Today, I told them what I want to do, and they want it too. They didn’t turn me away. They didn’t even look at me like I was crazy. They want mutant amnesty as much as I do, and there are going to be more, I can feel it.” The determination that kept him going grew in his stomach as he spoke, pushing away feelings his memory had brought on. “Once we reach critical mass, I’m going bring it straight to the top. I’m going to make it happen. I’m going to make a world where we can be together!” 

I’m going to make a world where we can be together! 

But Eleni wouldn’t be there to share that world with him. 

His determination was destroyed by the despair that crashed down upon it. He lost himself to the grief he thought he had finally conquered. 


	13. Chapter 12

**ELENI**

Eleni look down from her window on the dead-end street in front of Madam P’s house. It was the first day of school. She was dressed and ready, and it was time to go down and eat. Matthew and Adam were coming by soon. They would walk to the school together, and were going to go early so she would have some time to familiarize herself with the building. 

She took this moment, however, to wonder exactly what she was doing. She loved dancing, and being able to dance to her heart’s content on a proper stage was a dream come true. Living with Madam P had proven to be a near ideal situation for her as well. The woman respected her privacy, and had reasonable expectations of her. Everything appeared to be a boon for her.  
But was it all worth the risk? She sighed out her indecision, and went down to breakfast.

“You hold your head high, child, no matter what.” Eleni nodded, glad the woman didn’t say something like ‘it’ll be fine’, and continued to stir the porridge that it was her responsibility to make each morning. A minute later, she took it from the stove and poured it into two waiting bowls. As those cooled, she retrieved a creamy fermented beverage from the cold box. She wasn’t sure of the ingredients but knew it wasn’t dairy. She added a mixture of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, from a tin in the cupboard and set it on the table. The cooled porridge followed, and was joined by the pot of black tea, an indulgence Madam P allowed herself daily to Eleni’s delight. They sat together and ate with little conversation.

The was a knock at the door a short while later.

“Hi! You ready?” Eleni looked up into Matthew’s grinning face and comforting brown eyes.

“We’ll see.” Was all she said, and they fell into step with each other as they made the walk to school.

“There’s a good coffee shop on the way. Maybe we can stop there in the afternoon.”

“I don’t know.” She murmured, though she was more interested than she let on. Stopping at a café on the way home from school: it was the sort of thing that everyone around her had done at the Citadel, and she never had. She would have loved to do it with Dave.

“Madam P won’t mind if we are a bit late,” he whispered conspiratorially. Eleni gave Matthew a flat look at that incorrect statement, but did let it focus her on putting Matthew off.   
“Another day, maybe.” 

They walked on in silence behind Adam and Madam P, though Eleni frequently felt Matthew’s eyes on her. She ignored that attention in favor of watching their surroundings. They left Madam P’s mansion lined street, and entered an intersection that boasted a few small shops and the closest closed car station. There, they veered onto a smaller boulevard, and about 5 minutes later the school came into sight, a grand stone structure with a broad courtyard leading up to the front door.

The courtyard in front of the school was dotted with several small clusters of students and some parents. They fell silent as Eleni, Matthew and the adults went by. She heard the muttered comment that ‘Summers should have left his dirty laundry in the Sewer where she belongs.’ She took a deep breath and walked on. That was just the beginning.

Eleni had learned that this was one of a few schools that children from the top tier families of the Montagne attended. There had been strenuous objections to her enrollment. However, Madam P’s daughter had attended the school and the dance teacher’s case had been strong. Eleni appreciated those efforts, but also realized they meant it would increase the grudge the other students held against her.

“What is the layout again?” She asked Matthew, trying to distract herself from the glaring eyes around her.

“The north wing houses the dining hall on the bottom floor, the library on the second and the gymnasium on the top level. The south wing has all the classrooms. We’ll show you around.”  
They walked her to each of her classrooms to orient her. After gaining some confidence as to where her classes were, she asked to see the dining hall, a large open area filled with tables as well as more private nooks off to the side. 

Then the library. That was not as open, but there were a few tables in the center that could viewed from the entrance. She wished it had been more like the library at the academy she had attended previously, where most of the books were stored digitally, reducing the need for long, dimly lit corridors lined with tall stacks of books. The lack of technology at the Montagne continued to astound her. 

Finally, the start of the first class drew near and the adults left. Matthew walked her to the room, but after peeking inside and only seeing a couple knots of students with no teacher in sight, she lingered outside. Matthew didn’t object, and seemed happy to stay with her and tell her about the teacher, one John Grey.

“He pretends to be hardnosed, but is really a pushover. The students regularly make him go off topic. He loves to wax eloquent about historical supposition.” Eleni nodded absently at that, as she examined the locker lined corridor. “You going to be ok?” 

His question brought her attention back, and she found him studying her face, concern clear on his face. She almost sighed. She knew she couldn’t expect Matthew to understand, but at the same time she wished he did.

“We’ll see.” She replied. Matthew continued to look at her, his brow furrowed. Thankfully, a large man covered in fur passed by them with an irritated look.

“Summers, you’re going to be late and I won’t be providing you a hall pass.” Was all he said, not acknowledging Eleni at all.

“Yes, Mr. Cassidy.” Matthew responded automatically. With one last look at her he turned to go. She entered the classroom, and began her education at the Montagne. 

Students were starting to pour in, and Eleni quickly picked the desk nearest the door. It was on the edge of the room and only had adjacent seats to the left and behind. She glanced briefly at the students occupying those seats as she settled her bag. 

To her left was a young man with scales all over his body. His eyes were slit like a snakes’. A good sign – a physical mutation, so it was less likely he had any further abilities. Behind, however, was a completely normal looking girl, with black hair and brown skin. She was talking to her friend, who was sitting kitty corner from Eleni. That girl appeared to have horns. As they were both distracted, Eleni couldn’t get a read on their reactions to their new classmate.

The teacher cleared his throat, and the students settled.

“Good morning, class. Welcome to another year at Pryde School of Advanced Learning. As you know we have a new classmate, a fairly rare occurrence here. Miss Jones, would you start us off by reminding us of the Rennaissance that occurred 700 years PD?” Eleni kept her eyes on the teacher. There was no way this could end positively for her, but that didn’t mean she was defeated.

“No, sir. I cannot.”

“Cannot or will not?” He stared down his nose at her as if she was a piece of trash. She calmly returned his gaze.

“Cannot, sir. I do not know the answer to your question.” He scowled at her answer. The class tittered with disdainful laughter. Eleni simply sat, returning the teacher’s gaze until the man looked away in disgust. 

As she had hoped, he ignored her for the majority rest of the class, except when she exclaimed out loud as a slimy substance suddenly slipped down the back of her clothing. Then he told her if she couldn’t be quiet and learn he would be forced to send her to the principal’s office. 

She held her tongue and tried her best to ignore her discomfort through the rest of class. She couldn’t stop the sinking feeling in her stomach however. She had promised herself she would not use the bathrooms at the school, and would have to live with the slime in her shirt for the rest of her day. At the end of class, she took a good look at the girl behind her, hoping she could avoid sitting near her again.

The next class, biology, went much the same, minus the prank. The fact that she was paired with someone at a desk, and expected to work with them was almost worse, however. The teacher gave them an activity that required observing a specimen together, then jointly present their findings. Her partner ignored her, but she was the one scolded for not being cooperative.

In between classes was no respite. She was constantly alert, and sure enough the hallway went slippery at one point. She kept herself from falling by grabbing on to the lockers. The possibility that she could be physically injured in a way that would prevent her from dancing was her one true worry.

At one point in the hall between classes, a heavy-set young woman, her face done up drastically with make-up, intercepted her. Her eyes appeared to be slitted.

“Whatever you got it must be good if Summers keeps coming back for more. You show me yours and I’ll show you mine?” Then she grinned and a long, blue forked tongue flicked out of her mouth. Eleni was stunned into to inaction, but fortunately the woman’s friend called her back. The other woman had bushy light brown hair, pointed, tufted ears and tan skin that looked fuzzy.

“Really, Rachel, what are you doing? Get away from her!”

“Just having some fun, Doreel.” Doreel glared at Eleni as the two walked on. Eleni gritted her teeth, and made her way to her next class.

That class, the last before lunch, took on a similar pattern to the first: the teacher singled her out, and then happily satisfied that she was truly incompetent, ignored her. Eleni took notes as best she could and focused on improving her academic standing. She told herself firmly that that was all that mattered.

Lunchtime presented new challenges, however. She had brought food, and hoped to find a table alone in a corner or against a wall, but also near a door. It turned out that there were few tables unoccupied, and none close to the door. Further, there were no empty tables that weren’t close to full ones, which made her nervous. She was about to settle for eating while standing by the exit, when a voice called out her name. In surprise, she looked toward the sound to see a boy who looked vaguely familiar approaching her.

“Eleni! Hi! Remember me?” She shook her head. The pale boy was slightly taller than her and had black hair and bright blue eyes behind glasses with thick black rims. He looked disappointed at her lack of recognition, but smiled wryly and took it in stride.

“Well, I supposed your foot got the best look at me in the end.” Then she remembered. Months ago she had nearly run into this boy, and when sparks had started appearing around him, had planted a turning sidekick firmly on his chest before running off. 

Remembering that didn’t help her. She just looked at him, wishing there had been more time to learn names, faces and mutant abilities prior to the start of school. The boy was still talking. “Anyway, let’s start again. I’m Travis Lensher. G asked me to see how you are doing with school starting.”

There were two pieces of information that Eleni struggled to reconcile. Lensher was the name of the ruling family. In conversations with Matthew, he had indicated he avoided the family as a rule. To associate with them was to make a power play, and Matthew had no interest in those games. Eleni knew there was no danger of that for her, but also had no desire to be close to such a public person.

Yet, Travis had also said G had talked to him about her. And, apparently, he came to the Towers from time to time. Did G trust this boy? She had gained a certain amount of respect for the man, though she wouldn’t go so far as to say she trusted him, yet. Maybe that was why he hadn’t said anything about it to Eleni.

Travis was waiting, expecting a response, but Eleni simply continued to look at him. He started to look uncomfortable.

“Would you like to sit together?” he asked.

“I don’t like crowds,” she replied, as she started to turn away, “but thank you.”

“I always have my own table. It would just be us.” Eleni paused, not sure if that was a good thing. “I don’t much like crowds either.” When she looked back, the lopsided smile on his face appeared to be free of guile. There was also a hint of bitterness that she found she understood. That didn’t make sense. Nonetheless.

“OK.” The smile turned glad and Travis led her over to a table on the edge, with only one bag at it. Seeing that he had been true to his word, Eleni relaxed a bit.

Once seated, Travis started talking again.

“So, how are things going so far?”

“Ok, I guess.” She didn’t extrapolate. Travis looked faintly perturbed, but didn’t let it stop him. He got specific.

“What classes have you had?”

She gazed at him for a moment, then decided sharing the information couldn’t hurt. 

“History, Math and Biology.” 

“How did they go?” 

“Fine. About what I expected.” The back of her shirt was now caked to her skin from the dried slime. 

Travis examined her for a minute lips folded in, then nodded. 

“OK. What do you have next?”

“Remedial Studies, for two periods.” He blinked. “I didn’t do very well on the placements tests.” He took this in evenly.

“Then Genealogy and Genetics.” He grimaced at that one. “What?” She asked.

“Professor Fraiser is probably going to be one of the worst. He’ll do something particularly nasty.” That was when Eleni started to suspect that Travis did understand some of what she was up against. It still didn’t make sense though. Help. From a Lensher. She tried to shed some light on the situation.

“Why are you helping me?” Before he could answer, however, a young woman walked up to the table. Looking up, Eleni was momentarily caught off guard. The girl was stunning. Her skin was dark, nearly black, her face small with fine features. Her head was shaved bald, which only served to highlight the beauty of her features and her eyes. 

The latter were golden, and constantly drew the watcher’s eyes to her face where they were once again reminded of her dark beauty. Eleni suspected the woman was aware of the effect her appearance had. She wasn’t tall, but held herself with a stiff pride that gave her a commanding presence. Now, she was looking down at Eleni in haughty disdain.

“Really, Travis, do you have to be so disgusting?”

“Come on, Ebony. She’s got just as much right to be here with us as anyone. Why don’t you join us?” Eleni’s gaze snapped to Travis, though she kept her expression under strict control. Her instinct told her she didn’t want this woman knowing anything more about her than necessary. The last thing she wanted at the moment was for her to join them at the table.

Fortunately, Ebony just gave Eleni one more piercing glance, and walked away telling Travis she’d talk to him later. Eleni didn’t let her relief show, but Travis seemed disappointed.

“Don’t mind Ebony so much. She’s putting on a show because she doesn’t know you. Her parents are both Xavierists.” He said dismissively. Eleni forgot herself as the name rang familiarly in her ears. 

“What is that name?” She asked, then froze. Internally, she cursed. She should have waited and found out from Matthew later. Fortunately, Travis didn’t seem to find her lack of knowledge odd.

“Not a fan of politics, are you?” His tone was wry. “Well, you know the Superiorists of course, who subscribe wholesale to Magneto’s mutants are superior, next step of evolution, mentality.” Eleni nodded. She did know vaguely of them, although Travis’ description was informative. “Then there are the Loyalists. Loyal, that is, to the Lensher family.”

“You’re family.” She replied pointedly, getting that matter out in the open. Travis winced.

“Yeah.” He said slowly. “Well, it’s not like they serve us hand on foot. It’s a political distinction, and they will tend to support the family on political issues, even if it deviates from the Superiorist line. Tend to, that is. They can be a bit unpredictable.” He grimaced at that, then continued. “Then you have the Xavierists. Named after Charles Xavier, they are open to things like living with non-mutant humans, more equality in the society, making things better for everyone, not just the people living in the UpMountain.” His face twisted a bit. “It’s not an easy thing to be in the UpMountain.” 

She thought it was probably a breeze next to being her in the UpMountain.

She observed Travis for a moment, then decided to get a better read on him.

“Why are you being nice to me?” Travis blinked, then considered the question.

“I don’t care. About what they all think.” He waved his hand at the other students in the cafeteria. “And, when G mentioned you would be here, I don’t know, I just wanted to help out.” 

So, G hadn’t exactly asked him to look out for her, but Travis had taken it upon himself to do so. Given how he was acting so far, she thought that was a good sign. She decided to see what other information she could get from the boy, and started lining questions up in her mind. If he was playing her for a fool, she would find out soon enough and that would be the end of it. If not, she could use the help.

“So, this Genealogy and Genetics class. Do you have any idea of what the teacher might do?”

“Something that will guarantee your failure.”

Travis was right on the mark. When Eleni arrived at the class after two torturous hours of one-on-one tutoring with a tutor who clearly didn’t want to be tutoring her, she was dismayed to recognized Jenna Frost standing at the front next to a large man with tan skin and blue hair. The hazel-green eyes found her immediately, and a smile that was only so in name lit her face. Eleni’s stomach clenched.

She hadn’t shared with Matthew the little threats Jenna was fond of whispering at her during dance class. Her removal of Eleni’s scarf had been the most visible use of her powers, but Eleni knew there had been others and now pulled in her dancing when she knew the girl was watching and there were no teachers around, for fear of falling and hurting herself. The one blessing was that Jenna appeared only to be able to use her powers when she could focus solely on them. So, if Jenna was also dancing or talking with her friends, Eleni knew she was safe.

The man noticed her and sneered.

“Ah, I thought there was a stink. Sit there.” He gestured to a seat at the front corner by the windows. A corner seat was great, but Eleni didn’t like being so far from the door. Nonetheless, she sat.   
Before the class even started, the teacher, Mr. Fraiser, came over with Jenna.

“I am to understand, sewer rat, that you performed hopelessly in my subject. That is truly shameful, given our legacy and all the Montagne was built upon. I have asked Ms. Frost, here to provide you with tutoring to remedy the situation. I hope you appreciate the honor she is doing you in making herself available.” The teacher glanced at Jenna. “Work out a time to meet between yourselves.” He left. Jenna grinned down at Eleni.

“So, you’ll come over to my house next Tuesday. It’s only Open Dance that day: we won’t be missing much.”

“I want to do it at the dance school.” Eleni didn’t even like that, but there was no way she was going to this woman’s house alone. Jenna sneered.

“I’m a serious dancer. If I’m at the school, I’m dancing. Madam P wouldn’t like to hear that you think that the time you spend there is more flexible.” Eleni thought of the times she had seen Jenna sit and gossip with her friends, but made no comment on the woman’s response.

“Then at Madam P’s. In the evening.” Maybe that would stop Matthew from coming to dinner.

Jenna’s face twisted into anger. “Really how ungracious of you! I offer my time freely, and you make demands. You are in no position to do so! There is no way you can pass this class without my help. And there is no way you can graduate without passing this class,” the dancer hissed. “When you are willing to study seriously, let me know! Until then, I’m afraid you are on your own, slut.” 

The last was said with such venom the woman actually spat. Turning on her heel, Jenna went to report to the teacher and then leave. Mr. Fraiser gave Eleni a nasty smile. Eleni ignored it as her stomach sank again, and took out her notebook.

**MATTHEW**

Matthew sat in the cafeteria and worried. It had been three days since school began. As he had expected, he rarely saw Eleni in the building. When he did, it was from a distance and she was usually intent upon what was happening in her immediate vicinity, so she didn’t notice him. He had resorted to keeping a distant monitor through the bond to find out if anything was seriously disturbing her.

“Hey, Summers.” He looked up to see a thickly built man with sallow skin, dark eyes and brown hair. Craig Munroe.

“Hi Craig.” He returned. Craig was the only one of his former circle of friends Matthew was finding tolerable. Most of Matthew’s peers had graduated now, of course, but there were a few from the year below him with whom he had been familiar. He had initially joined them for lunch; that had stopped when the pointed questions about Eleni had persisted.  
He welcomed Craig’s presence, however, as the young man joined him at the table.

“The party going to be at the Braddock’s this Friday night. You in?” Matthew shook his head. Craig sighed. “C’mon, it doesn’t hurt to have some fun.”

“I am having fun.”

“Sitting here looking like leper?”

“You don’t have to join me.” Matthew pointed out. It was easier to focus on what was coming through the bond when he was on his own. 

Craig didn’t leave, but did stop talking and started eating. A moment later there was another addition their group.

“She is kind of pretty, I’ll give you that, Summers.” Calen Guthrie, brown skinned with black hair, sat without an invitation and leaned towards Matthew. “So, what’s she got that’s so good? I’m betting it has something to do with her mutant powers. Eh?”

“Go away, Guthrie.” This type of conversation had been what chased Matthew away from eating with the group. 

“Mattie!” Calen said in mock hurt. “Look, if you’re mad that I went on a date with Jenna last spring, well, you two weren’t together and you can’t blame me for trying! I didn’t get anywhere, anyway.” Matthew hadn’t known that and didn’t care.

He had tried, the first day, to tell the truth: that he and Eleni weren’t together, but that she was a close friend of his. The resulting laughter had echoed through the cafeteria, bringing others to their table, who were then brought in on the ‘joke’. Calen’s questions proved that that opinion still dominated.

A spike of fear from Eleni distracted him. He did his best to keep his face smooth and bent to his food with easily feigned irritation, but in truth concentrating on what Eleni was feeling. It was no use. As always, the brief feeling was replaced quickly by a void; a complete absence of emotions as she locked them away. He felt his own surge of dismayed frustration. 

At the end of each day, he asked her how things had gone; she always replied that it was manageable and refused to elaborate beyond what she was learning in her classes. Madam P was having the same difficulty: Adam had asked Matthew for information because the woman had noticed damage on Eleni’s clothing, but the young woman just dismissed it. Matthew hoped G would be able to learn more the next time the man came up. 

Craig and Calen talked a bit through lunch, and Matthew joined in from time to time. When he finished eating, he left, taking advantage of the empty halls to get to his next class in peace.   
Things went much the same over the few days. Matthew was glad when, a week later, G finally came UpMountain again. Eleni was already sitting with the large man when Matthew entered the auditorium after changing. 

“G, good to see you.” He held out his hand, and his friend grasped it in greeting. Matthew sat in front of Eleni, kitty corner from G.

“Hey, Mattie, where the hell is the…South Slope?” 

“Wha-? Why-? Oh,” The mystery of G’s mutant powers. The South Slope backed up to the military complex, and that was the branch of government which would be involved in such investigations. “Um…it’s south.” G rolled his eyes.

“That’s the problem. With all your hamster tunnels up here, I don’t which way that is! No such trouble DownMountain…” he shook his head at the deficits of the UpMountain. “Ah, never mind. I’ll figure it out.” Matthew was sure G would do everything he could to make sure that he didn’t. He smiled.

“So, Elle here was regaling me about the wonders of school up here in heaven. Seems they haven’t told her she’s a goddess, yet. I’m disappointed.” 

“You’ve probably heard more than I have.” He eyed Eleni, who turned her head away as if disinterested.

“Well, there’s only one teacher that really has it out for her. So that’s good.” He had heard about Fraiser’s set-up, and didn’t blame Eleni for her reaction. After Jenna’s prank from a couple weeks back, he wouldn’t want Eleni to be alone with his former girlfriend either.

“Oh, yeah, the others are so welcoming.” This came from Eleni, mildly sarcastic. G snorted.

“Just keep reminding yourself, they actually believe the shit they are saying to you. It keeps me laughing.” Eleni looked at G, but whether she agreed or not Matthew couldn’t tell.  
When Eleni was called back to dancing, Matthew took the opportunity to quiz G, but was disappointed. 

“She didn’t share any details, but they’re pranking her constantly. Or telling her what they think of her. Or looking at her like she’s something cat dragged in. Or—”

“OK! I get the idea.” Matthew grimaced and turned away from G, sinking further into his seat. He had gleaned as much from the spikes of emotion he felt throughout the school day. G leaned forward, placing his arms on the back of the seat next to Matthew.

“Mattie, you regretting asking her to come up?” Matthew shifted in irritation.

“No! I mean, look at her. This is so much better than dancing in the Towers.” Eleni was preparing to perform a piece with the other top dancers on stage. In Matthew’s opinion she stood out head and shoulders above them. He loved watching her dance.

“But…” G prompted.

“But, nothing! It seems like it’s not that bad, after all. I mean the fact that she doesn’t talk about it is a sign, right? If it was really bad she’d tell us.” He tried to sound confident. He felt G looking at him. The man didn’t respond to his comment. They watched the dancing in silence for a minute.

“You trying to get her pregnant with your eyes?” Matthew nearly swore in his surprise and turned to his friend.

“Wha-? What’s that supposed to mean?” G just raised his eyebrows in amusement, and sat back in his seat.

“You tell me.”

Later that night, Madam P brought up the issue of Eleni’s clothes at the dinner table, something that clearly annoyed the young woman.

“We’ll have to get you some new items.” The dance teacher said matter-of-factly. 

“Thank you, but it is not necessary. I take good care of my clothes.”

“Yes.” The teacher responded dryly. “I’ve noticed you are a daft hand at sewing. Your stoic attitude in the face of suffering would make you an admirable Cinderella. Apologies if I refuse to play the part of the abusive step-mother.” Eleni rolled her eyes, but kept silent. “We’ll go this Holday. My errands can wait. And after we can spend some time at the Atrium.” Matthew seized the opportunity.

“The Atrium! I haven’t been there in ages. Would you mind if I joined you?”

“Of course not, Matthew! You are always welcomed.” Madam P’s response wasn’t rushed, however she did manage to cut Eleni off and leave her with her mouth hanging open. Turning to Matthew, the younger woman tried to dissuade him.

“Matthew, it’s boring. We just sit there. Maybe walk around a bit.”She tried to dissuade him.

“That sounds nice. What time do you think you’ll be there?” He ignored the spike of irritation he felt through the bond as Madam P answered.

“I imagine we’ll be done around lunchtime. Let’s meet at noon, and I’ll bring a picnic.”

Eleni again tried to talk him out of it later as he prepared to leave. Adam hadn’t come that night; he alternated nights at home with Jae. Matthew and Jae never ate together these days.  
“I don’t think that it is a good idea. What about the tabloids?” 

It was true, other than school they hadn’t gone anywhere public together since they had come UpMountain. Tabloids were forbidden inside both the dance school and the academic school. The only new opportunities had been the walk in the morning, and the papers had already exhausted that scenario. They had also talked up his staying the evening at Madam P’s, but he didn’t think that was a big deal. Just more of the same lies they had been printing before, and the story had gotten old.

Matthew waved his hand, dismissing her worry.

“The tabloids stories have dropped off. They’re bored with this new situation. It’ll be fine.” She looked at him, doubtful, but didn’t voice any further objections.

**JAE**

Jae Summers observed the young woman with cool light brown skin as she walked out of the school next to Matthew. A growl of disgust formed in her throat at seeing them together. At least they weren’t holding hands. 

The young cadet had been planning to take the opportunity to introduce herself to her brother’s sick obsession, but his new girl kept her head down and got herself out of the halls quickly. When Jae had skipped class to visit the girl at the cafeteria, she had discovered her sitting with Travis Lensher and abandoned the idea. Jae’s mouth twisted at the memory.   
A voice surprised her from behind.

“A total disgrace, isn’t it Summers? Your brother has lost his mind.” She turned to find Javier Damba standing at her shoulder. The man was a cadet, like her, but a year ahead of her in training. Students could join part-time any time after they turned 16. 

She pulled her posture straight and gave him her full attention. He nodded in approval. “Have you met her? Now that she is UpMountain your brother has probably been bringing her home for some entertainment, no?” Jae shook her head as she responded.

“No, they keep it at the dance studio. I was just thinking about how to introduce myself.” Javier spoke, sounding interested.

“Well, if you’d like, I can suggest some ways to give her a proper welcome. Get a few friends together. It will be a right party.” Jae looked at the senior cadet. She ignored how her stomach went slightly sour at his tone. They were at school; he couldn’t be thinking of anything that wasn’t tame. She nodded, and when he tipped his head to the side, she followed him into the hall, listening.


	14. Chapter 13

**MATTHEW**

The next Holday, Matthew met Eleni and Madam P at the north-east entrance of the Atrium. They found a place on one of the grassy islands, a good distance from any of the other lounging people, and set up a picnic with food Eleni and Madam P had picked up that morning. Then the dance teacher surprised them.

“Children, I have decided to go and run a few more errands now. You two can enjoy the Atrium while I do that.” Eleni’s eyes went wide, and Matthew felt a spike of betrayal and nervousness from her. He ignored it, thoroughly pleased with the situation. Then Eleni’s eyes narrowed at the woman who had taken her in. Madam P, however, was already waving her goodbyes and soon they were alone.

Eleni eyed him. “Well, let’s eat?” 

Reluctance aside, Eleni seemed to accept the situation. They ate, and they talked, and soon her annoyance had evaporated. Matthew learned that Eleni had come to the Atrium twice since moving in with Madam P, and she already seemed to know more about it than he did.

“The gardens are all self-sustaining.” She was very impressed with that. “They do tend them of course, but even if they didn’t, the plants wouldn’t die off. There is a whole irrigation system built into the base apparently.”

“Wow.” Everyone knew about the fruit trees in the Atrium. He had never considered what it took to sustain all that, even with his experience at the vineyard. “That must take a lot of water. It’s a constant issue at the vineyard.” Eleni nodded.

“It must.” She cocked her head at him. “Do you actually go and tend the vines?” 

“No, not really. We’ve been taught the basics, and can tell if a plant isn’t doing well, but we don’t do the day to day tasks.”

“Who does?”

“Mostly people from the DownMountain.” She nodded, unsurprised, at that.

“No one from the UpMountain?”

“Some.” Managers.

“So, people from the DownMountain do all the work,” she glanced at him sideways, “but I bet they never get to taste of the results of their labors.” Matthew became uncomfortable.

“My dad has some celebrations he holds for the workers,” he answered defensively.

“So, he throws them a bone. Do all owners do that?” Matthew bristled further, and didn’t voice that he knew his father’s generosity was rare.

“That’s the way it’s been for centuries,” he answered instead. “They work the fields, the factories and other production units.”

“What do they get in return?”

“They get paid. And the Montagne keeps them safe. And alive.”

“In the DownMountain. None of them can come up here.” 

Matthew stayed silent. Anyway, it hadn’t really been a question, and he didn’t like the feeling that he was being attacked for something that he had no control over. Not knowing what to say, his eyes lingered on a rickshaw pulling a couple through the paths of the Atrium. Finally, he spoke again.

“My dad makes sure the people who work at the vineyards get what they need. He knows them, and tells them to come to him if they are having any kind of issue.” Eleni nodded.

“G mentioned your place was one of the best to work at.” Matthew was mildly surprised that kind of knowledge was common in the DownMountain.

“But, what about…where you came from?” Eleni gave him a sharp look, even though he had lowered his voice. “What? You’re sitting here criticizing my home. I’d like to understand your point of reference better.”

“Someone could hear!” Matthew glanced about. No one was close.

“Elle, I’m whispering.” She raised her eyebrows.

“Aren’t you the one who grew up in this place? What about super-hearing?” Oh. Matthew actually laughed. “What?”

“That’s one of the more unfortunate abilities. They usually go crazy.” Or wore a collar.

Eleni’s look turned flat at his failure to explain, but she nonetheless asked the logical question. “And why was that?”

“They can hear everything. All the time.”

“What, they can’t filter out a single conversation and focus on that?”

“No. In ancient times there were people who had that level of control, but no one like that has been born for centuries.”

“Oh.” Matthew lowered his voice to an exaggerated whisper.

“So what about my question. They needed people to grow the food, man the factories and everything, right?” Eleni shot him a look of annoyance, but answered in a similarly quiet tone.

“But it wasn’t like this. We could all expect a decent life, and respect, regardless of where we lived or what we did. For instance,” she searched for an example, “the food we got was simpler than that of the elite, but it was still good and good for us. I’m not even sure what that stuff they give you at the cafeterias DownMountain is! Also, the elite and everyone else lived in more or less the same places. And people could join the elite. Some worked hard in school and got a higher paying career, others through business, but it wasn’t completely out of reach. Not like here where it depends on your arbitrary mutant ability.”

“What about someone like Hulio?” Matthew countered. “He might make it through his singing.”

“Could he move UpMountain and live here?”

“If people like him enough. He might even marry into an UpMountain family!” Eleni looked at him for a long moment after that comment.

“What are his chances of doing that? And what about someone who lives DownMountain but has no special talent like Hulio or myself? If they work hard, can they make their lives better?”

“I…I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “They should be able to.” He added after a moment of thought. Eleni laughed a little, looking around the garden.

“Do you really believe that? Or that regardless of where they were born, they have a right to a decent life? To good food and homes that aren’t coming apart?” He looked at her, hurt.

“I do!” That caught her attention, and her eyes turned to his. She studied him.

“Maybe you do,” was all she said. They fell silent.

“Not everyone there was accepted. You told me that. And mutants were doomed.” He was just pointing out the facts.

“True,” she acquiesced. “But even those who were not accepted could live a decent life, so long as they played by the rules.”

“Who were they?” She shrugged.

“Bastards like me.” He sensed it wasn’t the full answer, but let the issue drop. There was something else he wanted to ask.

“Were there any…issues with mutants? Did they really catch every single one?”

“Occasionally one was found in the population. The blood tests they have are extremely accurate, but somehow they sometimes slipped through undetected.”

“Unicorns.” Matthew stated. He suspected Eleni had been one.

“What’s that?”

“A mutant who is born with no abilities, and nothing in their genetic make-up to suggest a mutation. Then their abilities manifest, usually around puberty. Like all the original mutants, the Brotherhood, the X-Men and the like. They tend to be very powerful.” Eleni’s forehead wrinkled.

“How does it work for other mutants? Non-Unicorns?”

“We have some form of mutation present at birth and that the ability will manifest in full sometime between birth and puberty. In those cases, the sooner the mutation manifests, the more powerful it is.”

“Mutations that appear later are weaker then.” Matthew nodded. She opened her mouth to ask another question.

“Get a room!” The raucous call came from a group of people walking along one of the paths that defined the grassy area they were on. Matthew’s head snapped up, and he felt indignant at the tone.

“It’s not worth it to get angry, Matthew.” Eleni’s voice was soft, and patronizing.

“Is that the reason you objected to my coming today?”

She shrugged. “My situation means I am going to be the subject of abuse. I learned long ago not to go out of my way to invite more.” She bent to eating, signaling an end to their conversation. Matthew did his best to follow her advice, but found it difficult as more vitriol peppered their meal. 

They finished and after clearing away the remains of the picnic, they relaxed in silence. Matthew was getting better at ignoring the occasional remarks, and was enjoying just being with Eleni. He glanced over at her, taking in the lines of her face. She had leaned back on the grass, propped up on her elbows. Her head was tilted back slightly and her eyes were closed. He realized that she seemed oddly distant to him.

“Where have you gone?” he asked softly. Her eyes opened slowly, and she turned her head towards him. Her blue eyes looked sleepy. She smiled slightly.

“It’s just being here. It does this to me.”

“You really like this place.” She nodded.

“You don’t come here very often?” She asked him. He shook his head.

“They have festivals and events here from time to time, and I sometimes come to those. But I don’t really out of my way just for a visit.” He took in the small trees and flower beds that were nearby, and the distant walls of more formal gardens. “It is lovely,” he added quietly. 

Eleni moved the picnic basket, then rolled over on to her stomach so she was closer to him. 

“It reminds me of the Veil,” she said quietly. He lowered himself on his elbows so he could hear better and she described to him the massive structure, that covered the Citadel.

Nearly entirely transparent, she described how the network of windows was supported by a spiderweb of thin material that was nearly invisible but incredibly strong. The technology was prized, and had apparently been developed by a company called Stark Industries; Eleni was slightly surprised when Matthew didn’t recognize the name. Massive poles, wide at the bottom, but narrow at the top, held the entire thing up. Matthew had to admit it sounded impressive.

“You could enjoy the sun anywhere in the city, not just in special places like here. When we had Rest Days on the same day, my mother and I almost always spent them at the parks in the city, enjoying the light. It was wonderful.”

“Was it one dome over the entire city, like this?” He gestured upwards to the Atrium.

Her eyes lingered on the peak for a moment before responding. “No. There were several sections, called Blocs. Each could be closed off from the other, although it was only done in extreme cases, disease outbreaks…mutant incidents...” Her eyes met his, but she went on before he could say anything. “Each section is similar to this, though, but much larger. The central section is the highest.” 

“What was the city like?” Eleni described wide boulevards and tall buildings. Matthew was shocked to learn that the highest point could hold a building up to 25 stories tall. 

“That’s why you called the UpMountain quaint, huh.” He laughed sheepishly to himself, and she chuckled at his embarrassment. He caught her smiling eyes with his and held them for a moment. Then she looked away. 

“Let’s walk some.” They collected the basket and then slowly circled the Atrium. There were more comments thrown their way. Matthew gritted his teeth each time.

In order to distract himself, Matthew decided to ask a question of Eleni he had never forgotten. Her opening up about the Citadel made him think he might get a straight answer from her this time.

“Elle, how did you get here? All the way from the where you grew up?” He said quietly. Eleni stopped for a moment, and he felt annoyance and chagrin through the bond.

She started walking again, taking a moment to consider. He felt some hesitation from her, but nonetheless she did eventually respond.

“Their technology is more advanced, right?” She looked at him, and he nodded. “I had a protector, who was in a position of power, and had access to resources. He trained me on equipment that helped me get away.”

“So, you used some kind of machine?” Her hesitation grew, but she nodded.

“Thanks for telling me,” he said, deciding not to press further, though a fair amount of mystery remained. He was glad she was finally opening up to him.

Eleni started pointing out her favorite parts of the Atrium, probably to distract him from any other questions he had been holding in wait. He found there were a couple things he could show her that she hadn’t yet discovered. One was a small garden which was filled with roses in the summer. Eleni seemed enchanted with the idea, but then quickly suppressed a wave of sadness. He didn’t ask wy, thinking it must have triggered a memory of her mother.

Shortly after walking through that garden, Madam P found them. The dance teacher explained she had eaten elsewhere. Matthew saw Eleni’s gaze turn flat at that, and suspicion colored the bond, but then he caught her eye.

“Was it so bad?” he said quietly, feigning hurt. He was rewarded with a small laugh.

“No, it wasn’t.”

“Maybe we could do it again sometime.” It had been a near perfect date. Eleni’s face went smooth and her feelings went opaque.

“We’ll see.”

A few days after their visit to the Atrium, Matthew was assailed by a feeling of deep horror in the middle of his first period math class. He had never felt anything like it from Eleni, and was disturbed enough that he made himself late to his next class in order to hunt her down in biology. She sat alone at the table closest to the door, though everyone else was paired or in a group of three. He only had a minute before the class started.

Ignoring the looks the other students gave him, he went straight to Eleni.

“Elle, what is the matter? And don’t tell me everything is fine!” he whispered. In spite of his efforts, the student closest to them perked up at his tone. Matthew pasted a smile on his face.

“I’ll tell you later. Later.” The second she emphasized with a widening of her eyes. He relented.

“Later,” he said, making it a promise, and ran to his next class.

‘Later’ turned out to be much later as Travis Lensher joined them on their walk to the dance school. The young man walked abreast of them; his two person entourage, who accompanied him wherever he went in the Montagne, kept pace two steps behind. His bodyguards didn’t enter the school, and they hadn’t entered the Towers: G said they had loitered at a nearby shop whenever Travis visited. Matthew wasn’t sure whether they would come in the dance school or not. He hoped it was the latter.

Shadows aside, Matthew wondered if Eleni had invited the young man on purpose. Matthew wasn’t comfortable with their association, even though Eleni claimed the boy was actually being helpful. Travis was relaxed and friendly on the walk, but Eleni was keeping her usual distance which Matthew thought was wise. 

When they arrived at the dance school they found G there with Bright. 

“Travis! What a pleasant surprise!” G’s smile was wide. Matthew gave his friend a warning look, not wanting to encourage the boy’s presence, but G seemed not to notice. Matthew settled for his relief that Travis’ entourage hadn’t entered the building with them.

“Eleni mentioned you come up sometimes. What brings you to the UpMountain?”

“Mutant power evaluation,” Bright replied. “But you need to have a mutant power to find these places. I’ve spent the last two hours walking around what I thought was the military complex, but it turned out to be the university. Who knew?” They looked accusingly at Travis, who held up his hands in defense.

“That happened to you, too?” G said to Bright as if he could barely believe the coincidence. Then he shook his head at the tragedy of it all. “That was me last week. So much time wasted, I feel bad for those people, waiting all that time for nothing. But it’s not our fault this place is designed so ass backwards. Too bad I wasn’t here sooner to help you with that.” He sighed, even though Bright waved aside his responsibility. Matthew watched Travis through this exchange, wondering if the boy picked up on the subtext. 

Travis’ brow furrowed slightly, but he didn’t show any sign of afront or anger. 

“Hulio comes up sometime, too,” G informed Travis. “He’s got a music deal and will start recording soon.”

“That’s great news!” Travis commented. “I’ll look forward to seeing him at the Hellfire Club.”

Bright blanched.

“Don’t they do some sort of weird rituals there?”

“What?” Matthew asked inadvertently before he realized the source of Bright’s concern. “No, the Cult and the Club haven’t been associated for over a century.”

The DownMountainers looked dubious, and were pointedly not looking at Travis.

“Um, where is the bathroom?” Travis said, and his exit cleared the air.

“Oops,” Bright said. “I didn’t mean to scare him away.”

“Don’t worry about it,” G reassured, though he kept glancing to the door from which Travis had exited. “Hey Mattie, what is the deal with the Cult? It’s never come up before. Are they there every weekend so people can gaze at them in wonder?”

“No. It’s all formality now. All bark and no bite. I’ve heard the Lensher’s only attend the more formal events, The Pheonix’s Fury and the Rememberance, that stuff.” G nodded, and Matthew took control of the conversation. He turned to Eleni.

“It’s later.” G and Bright looked to them, curious at Matthew’s firm tone. Eleni sighed, resigned, and cast an incredulous look at their friends.

“_Prophecies._” she spat. G’s eyebrows went up and Bright looked confused. Matthew cringed.

“What’s that?”

“They have prophecies. And Matthew is in them. And they believe them!” Eleni’s face was a mask of horror and disdain. “These people are clinically insane!” 

G’s face registered surprise. He looked at Matthew, who nodded reluctantly. 

“The Cult, and now this. I’m going to have nightmares tonight,” Bright muttered

G glanced at his friend, and his eyes turned mischievous.

“C’mon Bright. Prophecies about Mattie? Let me guess. _‘Super human lover will—'_”

“G!” His friend grinned, but didn’t go on thanks to Eleni. She grabbed his arm to focus his attention.

“G, this is serious. It’s all about the Telepath. Something like ‘The Telepath belongs only to the Montagne.’ They were talking like he was the crown jewel of their collection!” She hadn’t gotten the line quite right, but Matthew didn’t correct her. G started to get serious.

“Elle, I’ve lived here 14 years now, and there is little you could tell me that would be a surprise. These UpMountain fluffs believing in prophecies? Sure, why not? They think Magneto farted out the Montagne alone.” He threw the words out casually, and Matthew was glad Travis was in the bathroom. “Them acting like they own Matthew?” At this his brow darkened. “That’s an old story, and definitely true.” Matthew tried to interject, to stop the conversation, but Eleni beat him to it.

“What? This doesn’t bother you at all?” G pinned her with a look.

“It bothers me a hell of a lot, Elle. But what can we do about it?” She just looked at him. Matthew tried to end the conversation.

“Eleni, it’s not a big deal. They talk it up from time to time but it’s really just a foolish way to spend their time. They like that stuff.” G raised his eyebrows meaningfully at Eleni.

“Elle, we’re not going to start protesting against the powerful and amoral society that keeps us alive in this dead world.” Eleni looked away, frustration registering in the bond. G’s eyes went distant. “I do what I can. I focus on the things I can change. I promise myself that I will never buy into their shit. Beyond that…” He focused on Eleni again, and shrugged. Matthew was distinctly uncomfortable, and didn’t like feeling he wasn’t part of the conversation happening in front of him. 

Travis returned, and joined G and Bright. Eleni and Matthew were called, and stood to go change. She glared up at him as they entered the aisle.

“It really doesn’t bother you?” He shrugged.

“It’s a bit weird, for sure, but what am I going to do about it?”

“You’re supposed to ‘change the world’,” she stated pointedly, and quoting the prophecy in question. He quirked up one side of his mouth in a half smile.

“Well, they can sit on their asses and wait for it so far as I’m concerned.” He was rewarded by a small laugh from Eleni. She turned away to go to the stage side door, but Matthew caught her arm gently at the elbow, stepped close to her and spoke quietly.

“Uh, Elle. Don’t mention this stuff to Madam P.” 

“What? I wasn’t going to, but why not?”

“Well, she’s a seer.” Eleni’s brow wrinkled.

“I thought she could just see a few seconds into the future. Anticipate someone arriving, things like that.” As she spoke, he became increasingly aware of their proximity. 

“Yes, but that is often the case with people who can prophecy. They occasionally have a far-reaching vision, often in the midst of an intense experience. Madam P made hers after what is considered the best ballet performance of her career. She was surrounded by an audience of witnesses, all hearing what she proclaimed, and my dad says it was a big deal for a while.” Eleni went still at that. 

“Do you believe that it was a prophecy?” Eleni was intent upon him. Matthew shook his head.

“Elle, it was all about swans and firebirds and jeweled cities. I mean,” he gave her a significant look, “she is a ballerina. That’s the stuff she grew up with.” He took a deep breath, getting to his point. “The thing is, everyone thought that it was about Madam P’s daughter, Katyana.” Eleni paused, taking that in.

“She has a daughter? There are no pictures or anything in the house.” Matthew nodded, sadly, when she said that. Shifting his stance slightly, he moved his hand from her elbow to her back.

“Everyone pretends she never existed. I’m sure Madam P has pictures somewhere, but she probably keeps them to herself.” Like his father. “Anyway, that’s why you shouldn’t talk about this stuff with her. It will just bring up painful memories.”

“What happened to her daughter?”

“She died.” Eleni waited. He didn’t offer any more information. “So, don’t bring up the prophecies, ok?”

“OK.”

He waited for her to step away, but she didn’t. They looked at each other.

“Eleni…,” he started. All he wanted to do was kiss her again.

“What? Can’t even wait for ‘dinner at Madam P’s?” Dwayne’s voice echoed rudely across the auditorium. Eleni’s face snapped closed, and she pulled away from Matthew to go get changed.

Matthew glared in the direction of his peer, angry that the moment had been ended so disgustingly, but also feeling oddly hurt. As his eyes searched the group for Dwayne, they came to rest on Jenna’s face, pain clear upon it. He ignored that, and giving up on his search for Dwayne, moved toward the side door of the auditorium. 

He had mentioned to the other dancers that he was having dinner at Madam P’s. He didn’t know why he had thought they would believe him, and not make it out to be something else.

That night, walking home from Madam P’s with Adam, Matthew’s thoughts lingered on the comment. He kept trying to convince himself that it was just par for the course, and that was the sort of stuff they had always done, but somehow it felt different to him. At least he wasn’t thinking about the stupid prophecies, which Eleni has thankfully not brought up again that evening.

He was saved from his dead end thinking when Adam took advantage of the fact that he had his son cornered.

“So, it’s about time to look into your options at university. You’ll need to declare by December, and if you start now you can interview at departments to get a feel as to whether they’ll be a good fit.” Matthew shrugged.

“I don’t know. I guess I always thought I’d do business.”

“You don’t have to. You know what you need to know about managing the vineyard, so if anything law would be more useful there. Remember, though, the vineyard doesn’t have to be your only occupation.”

“Well, yeah, I’d do dance, like you.”

“You can do that, of course. But, if you find something else you are interested in, this is an opportunity to pursue it.” Matthew nodded but didn’t respond. University felt like more of a chore to him than an opportunity.

They hopped on the close car and rode down to their section of the UpMountain, and Matthew spent the time thinking about his future at the university. When they got off and were again alone, he asked another question.

“Do you think Eleni could attend the university?” She hadn’t indicated an interest, but was proving to be a serious student. Madam P was impressed with her dedication.

Adam took a long breath in before responding.

“Mattie,” Matthew tensed at his father’s tone. “You need to be realistic about this situation. Don’t push her into something she’s not showing interest in. It could just make things…more difficult for her.”

“But if she wants to go, she should have the chance. And living with Madam P, I can’t think of any solid reason they could find to refuse her.” Adam was silent for a moment.

“If she really wanted to, I’m sure we could find a way. It might not be pleasant for her, but she would get an education. But,” Matthew had started to relax, and now tensed again. “don’t put these ideas in her head because you are trying to keep her close to you.”

“What? Keep a good opportunity from her in the name of, what? Chivalry?”

“No! I don’t know. But Matthew, the way you look at her…I’m worried you’re getting in over your head. She is friendly towards you, but she doesn’t appear to return you interest. I don’t want either of you to get hurt!”

Matthew strode ahead, angry and not wanting to listen to his father try to talk him away from Eleni.

“Mattie. Mattie, wait! I’m sorry! If it should work out for you two, you know I would support it. I’m just looking out for you.” Matthew felt his father’s hand on his arm, and slowed then stopped. Adam searched his face.

“I was surprised, when you didn’t go back to Jenna. And, seeing how much you care for Eleni, like I said, it makes me a bit nervous, but if it works out then I will be happy for you.” 

Matthew nodded curtly, more wanting to stop the conversation than anything else. They turned to walk the rest of the way home. As they reached the house, Adam spoke again, hesitantly this time.

“There’s another reason your situation, with Jenna and Eleni, has been on my mind. And probably another reason it makes me…uncomfortable.” Matthew started to grit his teeth, but then his father surprised him. “And it has nothing to do with you, really. It’s just that…it reminds me of Katyana and myself. How we broke up. Or, what happened after we did.” Matthew listened, a little wary, as they entered the back door. “I screwed up, sleeping with Maddie. They were best friends, you know. But I always thought she’d come back to me. She never did.” The last few words were a whisper, and sadness was clear in Adam’s eyes. 

Matthew looked at his father, and felt badly for him. The man still loved this woman, even after everything that had happened, and all the years that had passed. 

Adam looked at him.

“Why? Why didn’t you go back to Jenna? Everything about you two was perfect.”

Matthew looked at his father. The intensity with which the man posed the question indicated it had been preying on him. 

Matthew didn’t think he could shed light on why Katyana, mythical in her absence and the efforts to erase her existence, hadn’t gone back to Adam. But, sympathetic of his father’s pain, he decided he could share what he had learned from his experience with Jenna. 

“Let’s sit.”

They settled at the table by the kitchen, and he shared the same story he had told G.

“What I came to realize is that they didn’t think I deserved an apology, and that they thought I was stupid not to go back to her whatever she did. Because she was from the UpMountain and no matter where I lived, I had originally come from the Wastelands. She was better than me. She thought it, too. Still does, I imagine.” He finished. 

Adam looked at him for a long minute, then abruptly got up and walked away. Matthew, taken aback, feared that he had misjudged his foster father, but Adam returned a minute later with an old tabloid. He sat down and gazed at the cover before handing it to his son. 

Turning it to face him, Matthew saw that the profile of a woman dominated the cover. She was looking back over her shoulder, her expression suspicious. Her hair was dark, dark brown, nearly black, with a hint of red highlights, and it stood around her head in a cloud of tight woolly curls. Her skin was a dark brown, and the one eye that was visible was also brown, a couple shades lighter than her skin. It was hard to get a sense of her whole look, as only half her face was visible, but from her profile she was very beautiful. 

At the bottom of the cover written in bold letters, it said: **WHAT IS WRONG WITH HER?**

Matthew let out a mirthless laugh. “Well, I guess they do it to their own as well.” He mumbled. 

“No,” Adam said, “You are right, and I am so steeped in this place I didn’t understand it until you told me your story. Katyana also came from the Wasteland. She was about 6 months old when they brought her in. She had just come in when Madam Pietrovich went to the adoption center; apparently Madam P saw her and declared that she was to be the baby’s mother. There was no arguing with her.” Adam laughed slightly at his dance teacher’s antics from the past, but fell sad as he continued. “We never talked about it but I, and everyone, knew it. And,” here, Adam dropped his head into his hands in weary grief, “yes, it made a difference. I felt that being with me was the best thing that happened to her at the Montagne.”

Matthew let those words wash over him, and he once again stared at the woman on the cover. Her eyes now appeared hurt, wondering as the people she had trusted turned away from her. Matthew felt no desire to dwell on feelings that had led him to waste months of his life. He put the magazine down by his father.

“I’m sorry, Dad. I wish there was something I could do.” Adam just shook his head, looking up. Tears shone in his eyes, although his voice was controlled.

“Helping me finally understand it was more than I could have expected. Thank you, son.” Matthew nodded, then excused himself, unable to deal with his father’s guilt and grief in that moment.

**CITADEL 3020.09.20**

**DAVE**

Dave strode through the law school quad with purpose. It was another visit to the Blocs today, and he didn’t want to be late. 

“Where are you off to, Dave?” Sanida’s voice piped up and he had to suppress a grimace of annoyance as she fell into step beside him.

“Just got some errands to do.” Now that classes had started, he had less flexibility about when he could meet families. Today was a Rest Day and provided the most opportunity. He had a morning appointment and one in the early afternoon.

She nodded. They had chatted a few times since the beginning of the semester, and the friendship he had started a few years back seemed to be redeveloping.

“I was just heading off campus myself. Are you going to Bloc 7?” 

“Ah, no. Different direction today.”

“Well, I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow, then.” Her forehead furrowed in mimed agony. The first-year students had lectures early in the morning every day save for the Rest Day. Dave agreed with Sanida’s sentiment, and laughed wryly as she turned away. 

He watched her go recalling the reason he had originally sought her out a few years earlier, and came to the same conclusion he had back then. They would have been good together.

Turning back to his path, he made it to the edge of the gated campus where he ran into another person from his past coming around a corner. Their eyes met and the woman’s expression turned to anger. Her brown eyes flashed, and her pale face flushed. The ugly emotion clashed with the neat school uniform she wore and her curled and coiffed brown hair.

He was renewing a friendship with one former acquaintance from the girl’s academy, but the young woman in front of him, a former classmate of Eleni’s who was now in her final year of high school, was one he would have rather avoided.

“Dave Kelly,” she spat. The feeling was mutual.

“Heather DesJardins,” he said, trying to stay civil. They had dated briefly, and it had ended in disaster. More so for her than for him. He pushed that thought away and began to move on. Heather blocked his way. 

“No apology, even now? I should have known. You’re just as cold as your ice queen bitch of a mother!” No matter what issues he had with his mother, he wouldn’t let an insult to her stand.

“She defended me. Your mother would have done the same, if you’d given her anything to defend!”

Heather’s face flushed red.

“You’re are a pathetic mama’s boy! I should have known you were hopeless from the way you kissed. I still think you prefer boys.” Dave gritted his teeth at the hissed words, and looked around to make sure no one had heard her quip. 

He got a grip on the situation; it had been years since they dated. Was her bitterness so deep that this still ate at her? He decided an apology was a small price to pay to avoid a scene.

“Look, Heather, if it makes you feel better, I am sorry about how it all came down in the end.” She had been out of line, but the price she had paid had been dear. 

The young woman blinked, clearly taken aback by his response. He started to say good bye, but she cut him off.

“I really liked you, you know! You were the one I wanted. I was so happy when you asked me out.” Her face was red. He didn’t understand why she was so emotional. “After…after the boys who dated me expected one thing.” Dave’s stomach went cold. She looked like she was about to say more, but then squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. “I hate you. I hate your mother and I hate you!” She glared at him for another moment, her eyes shining, then turned and walked away on the net of paths leading deeper into the university campus.

Dave went on, unable to shake the sick feeling in his stomach, and tried not to think of his past with Heather. 

I really liked you! In retrospect, that was clear. It had all started so innocently. Long before Heather’s downfall, her crush on him had impacted him in ways she would never know.

_ Dave looked over at Eleni as he talked, wishing it was a night they could be alone. It wasn’t. He was instead regaling her with the latest escapades of the student council. The school year was coming to a close, and the end-of-year dance was coming up. _

_ “So, J.J. wants to get these special lights at the dance. The teachers and the administration are against it. They think it will make the room too dark.” They probably would; that was kind of the idea. “But Dean Hassin is good friends with J.J.’s mom, and he’s going to get her to work on him. Plus, since Shan’s uncle runs the company that manufactures and rents the lights, we can get a deal that the school won’t be able to refuse.” Dave was fairly happy with their chances of success. Eleni gave him a look that told him she was only tolerating this conversation._

_ “And what would you all be doing in this dark room?” Dave frowned. Eleni never came to these events, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out what it was about._

_ “Dancing. It is a dance.” He was one of the best dancers in the class, and all the girls wanted to dance with him. Of course, that was thanks to Eleni and her lessons. “And the adults are right there anyway. It’s actually kind of boring.” He tacked the last on as an afterthought, but it was true. Getting ahead of the administration in any way possible, that was the fun part. That’s why he had told the story. “Come on, Elle. It’s kind of funny, right?”_

_ “Sure.” Apparently, it wasn’t. He let out a breath in exasperation. They sat in silence for a minute, then Eleni spoke._

_ “Dave? You know how you hang out with your friends in the courtyard after school gets out?” Dave went to an all-boy school, Baybrook Boys Prep, attended almost exclusively by children of the elite. Eleni was enrolled at the all-girl counterpart, Keio Girls Academy. The two schools were adjacent to each other, and the entrances let out onto the same courtyard. Dave’s group of friends congregated there every day after classes to hang out before extracurriculars and other activities began._

_ “Yeah. Why?”_

_ “You know how some of the girls join you?” They did, Janelle, Suri, Heather, Xing and a couple others had become regulars. It had caused some excitement among his male peers when they’d started coming over to hang out, and an increase in a certain kind of story being shared when the girls weren’t around. Dave was finding it very educational. _

_Suddenly Eleni’s presence beside him was charged and he felt himself blush. He hadn’t shared those stories with her, but part of him wanted to._

_ “Yeah, they’re fun.”_

_ “Hm. Are they?” She paused. “Have you noticed that Heather sits next to you…a lot?” He only had to think for a moment to acknowledge that the girl did sit next to him on occasion. Heather was pretty and funny and he enjoyed her company there. Did she sit next to him a lot, though? He wasn’t sure about that. Anyway, they were just sitting._

_ “Um, sometimes she sits next to me. So?” Eleni cocked her head at him, her eyebrows up, her eyes wide._

_ “She ALWAYS sits next to you.” Dave opened his mouth to counter that assertion, but Eleni went on. “I overheard them talking. She likes you.”_

_ “Well, OK.” He felt himself blush again, and his voice cracked. “That doesn’t change anything because I don’t like her. Not…that way. Anyway,” he pointed out, “we are just sitting.”_

_ “She was hanging on your arm the other day.” Now he started getting annoyed._

_ “Someone told a funny joke and she lost her balance when she was laughing. Elle, I don’t like her!”_

_ “Then you can get up and move away.” He rolled his eyes._

_ “That would just make things awkward. And there is no need anyway. This is stupid.” He thought about getting up and moving away from Eleni until she calmed down. Anger flashed in her eyes._

_ “Dave, I don’t like it.” He didn’t respond. It was a stupid argument about nothing. “Dave.” She was more insistent now, “I wouldn’t like it if things were normal for us. But, it really bothers me because,” she hesitated for a long moment before continuing in a quiet voice, “because of our parents.”_

_ He looked at her sharply, and then looked away, uncomfortable. They never spoke of their parents’ relationship. Dave didn’t see how it had anything to do with them. _

_Her mother was his father’s mistress. It was public knowledge._

_ “Elle, what are you talking about?”_

_ “I see how people treat my mother. And what they think of m--,” she cut off, glancing at him for a second then looking away. Air whistled through her nostrils for a minute. “I won’t be that,” she finished in a calmer voice._

_ “You won’t be--? What? You think I’m trying to make you into my--?” He looked at her, incredulous. She glared back at him, and he was surprised to see tears in her eyes._

_ “Stop being close to her! To Heather!”_

_ “She just sits down beside me. What, I can’t sit next to a girl anymore?” Eleni looked at him for a long moment._

_ “Not like that. Not if you want to be my boyfriend. I won’t be your mistress.” He flinched as she said the word out loud. She stood up then, and stormed into the adjacent room. He followed her, only to find she had locked the door. Angry and indignant, he left, and stayed away from his father’s office building for a few days. _

_ At school, Heather continued to sit next to him but nothing else happened. He hoped Eleni was noticing that._

_ Missing her, he went back to the office building one evening, thinking she would have calmed down. He found her doing homework at the desk. She ignored him and eventually got up and left when he continued to try to get her to talk._

_ He came back again the next day. She was dancing, and again ignored him. The third day he realized she had taken his bracelet off. He stopped coming again._

_ At school, the sitting continued. One day, on a whim, Dave put his hand down on the stone bench behind Heather. The response was immediate, as she moved in closer and turned to smile at him. He just looked back, and then stubbornly stayed where he was watching for Eleni to emerge from the school. She trailed out after the small group of Humanist girls who never hung out with the boys. He thought she stiffened a bit as she walked and felt satisfied._

_ The school year ended, and the sitting with it. And, he realized belatedly, the only opportunity he had to see Eleni without having to confront the issue she had placed before him._

The memory didn’t help. He may have avoided thinking of what eventually happened with Heather, but instead now dwelled on what an idiot he had been. 

Wasted time. It had all been wasted time. Dave went on his way, bitterly wishing he could have been a wiser 14-year-old.


	15. Chapter 14

**ELENI**

By the third week of September things had fallen into a consistent pattern. School and dancing, visits to the Atrium and sometimes errands with Madam P. Eleni’s life was made up of these activities. Matthew was a constant presence, and she found herself becoming used to that, even though it went against her better judgement. He hadn’t yet found a way to remove the bond.

The nasty tricks at school continued, and she became more prepared to meet them over time. She had fallen once when the floor went slick beneath her, and thankfully not been injured, but after that had she kept herself up no matter if the floor went slick, icy, wet or hot. 

Travis heard about the incident, and it had proved valuable in learning more about him, if nothing else.

“Are you ok, Elle?” He had said later that day without mentioning why he asked. 

“I’m fine.” He had looked at her, then away, clearly uncomfortable.

Travis was a bit of an enigma. She wouldn’t say she trusted him, but she did find him genuine. It turned out that he always claimed the table he had invited her to at lunch the first day, but he didn’t always sit there. He moved around, hanging out with different groups on different days, but never too attached to one. She didn’t watch too closely, it didn’t matter in the long run, but her superficial examination told her he kept a distance between himself and his peers. 

“Just forget about it, Travis.” She had said, as she turned away slightly. They had stood there, awkward for a minute, she not sure what she was waiting for, or if she even wanted it.

He had finally nodded, and then walked with her to her next class. From then on, he occasionally joined her in the halls, and she appreciated having a few moments where she could relax.

Beyond that, she managed to ignore the slime in her clothes, or ice, or something else wet, and changed when she got home. She was annoyed when her things started to disappear, there were two students with super speed, and one with the ability to go nearly invisible, but she simply took extra care with the few items that were precious to her and bore it as well as she could. 

There were numerous other little things that occurred, but she pushed down the feelings they brought up in her, and moved on. So long as she wasn’t injured physically she let the incidents roll off her back as the insignificant nuggets of petty hatred that they were. She may have even become slightly less vigilant as the pranks became the normal part of her life they had always been. That was what she thought after the cadets cornered her in a hall.

She had always made sure to keep to the halls when they were busy, to never be walking in them alone. The crowded hall on that Wednesday of the fourth week of school, had lulled her into a sense of security. Then two people materialized out of the crowd and stood in her way. At first she tried to go around them, not registering the danger. Then a third appeared, then a fourth, a fifth. The bell rang and the hallway cleared. A few students looked back at her, penned in, but no one made a move to help. 

She found herself in a circle of seven students, all larger than her. Fear and panic blossomed in her middle. 

She tried to shoulder between two of them, but was shoved back. One of the students grabbed her arms and pinned them behind her back pushing her bag to the floor. In a desperate effort to find calm, she tried to tell herself that they couldn’t hurt her that badly. There were rules, and they would get punished if things went too far. However, the similarity of this situation with the attack at the Citadel made it next to impossible to calm down. She had to, she thought desperately. She imposed iron on her emotions. Be meek. Take what they did to her and move on. She had no choice.

A man with straight black hair and dark tan skin marked by red swirls around his neck, and hazel eyes stepped forward from the circle.

“Don’t get skittish there, sewer rat, we just want to talk for a minute. We won’t make you too late to your class, I promise. Just giving you a proper welcome. You see, Jae here is very hurt she hasn’t met you yet. Summers?” A tall woman with brown skin and spiked blond hair stepped forward. 

“Rat, this is Jalisa Summers. Your,” he coughed, “boyfriend’s sister. You see, this is just an overdue introduction. Summers, remember what I showed you. Give the sewer rat a heartfelt hello.” Eleni felt her blood run cold as Jalisa balled up her fist, then paused. Eleni thought she saw hesitation in Jalisa’s eyes, but then a ball of energy erupted from the woman’s fist and hit her hard in the stomach. Eleni gasped, as air was forced out of her. Tears sprang to her eyes.

“Nicely done, Summers.” Jalisa stepped back into the circle. Another student made to step forward, but the leader stopped him.

“I’ve decided I’d like to give her a greeting myself. Trying to run away like that, that’s bad manners, sewer rat. We need to teach you better now that you are UpMountain.” 

The man’s hand went back, and a moment later delivered a stinging slap to her cheek. Her head whipped to the side, and she saw stars for a moment. He gestured to the next student, who stepped forward and positioned his arm out to his left to sweep in at her from the side. His skin was patterned like a lizard’s, and there were knobby protrusions on his knuckles. She tried to breath out and brace her stomach for the coming blow. 

“Eleni!” The student stopped at the distant roar. The leader looked at Jalisa.

“I thought you said he never uses his telepathy.” The tall woman looked bewildered and slightly sick.

“He doesn’t. He never has.” The second statement was defensive. “Jenna fell and nearly broke her arm last year, and he had no idea until we got the call!”

“Eleni!” The yell was no closer, and Eleni despaired that Matthew would get there in time to be much help.

“Dammit! He must be keeping tabs on her. Quickly!” The leader urged the student in front of Eleni, who had let his arm go lax in concern. The young man balled his fist again and raised it up.

That was when Eleni felt a massive presence brush her mind. She knew it was Matthew, and that he wouldn’t harm her. Yet, she also understood instinctively that he was making sure she knew he was there, and that that he could have slipped past undetected. That thought turned her stomach to ice. The presence moved on. 

The young man’s hand started to descend and…pulled up abruptly. He lost his balance and fell painfully at Eleni’s feet, but made no move to get up. Eleni looked at the remaining members of the circle. Not one of them moved or spoke. 

A minute later, Matthew rounded the corner of the hall and advanced on the group, fury incarnate. Jalisa stepped back woodenly allowing her brother to enter the circle. The student holding Eleni let go as Matthew reached her. She fell forward caught herself against him as she was freed. His arm came around her protectively. Looking down at her, his face warred between fury and concern.  
“Are you ok?” She nodded, catching her breath now that the danger was past. 

“They didn’t do very much.” Matthew walked her out of the circle, then looked back at the students. Jalisa turned to him, still wooden.

“Really, Jae, this is what you stoop to? You’ve sold your soul to them, and I think it is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen!” His voice seethed with fury and pain. Eleni vaguely remembered Matthew mentioning that his sister had joined the military. She suspected all the students in front of her were fellow recruits. “I’m never going to forget this. If I could say you were no longer my sister I—”

“Summers, release them!”

Matthew and Eleni spun around to see the principal, another teacher and Jenna coming down the hall. Matthew looked back at the group of cadets, and suddenly two of them fell over, while the others were gasping for breath out of shock at what had just happened to them.

“This is out of line, Matthew Summers, you will—”

“They were beating Eleni up, and I will demand a truth teller if you try to make this anything else.” Eleni had never seen Matthew like this. Angry, but coldly calm using every resource at his disposal. Truth tellers might be expensive but that was no barrier for the Summers’. She didn’t want things to come to that.

The principal pulled up short, glaring at Matthew, but also doing the same calculations as Eleni. His gaze shifted to the cadets.

“Are you all ok?” There was a mumbling of yes’s, and one complaint of an injury due to a fall that was quickly shushed.

“Aren’t you going to ask Eleni?” Matthew’s voice was dead cold. The principal looked at Eleni as if she was something he had found moldering in the corner of his office. 

“And you?” Eleni thought for a moment before answering. If a truth teller’s services were procured, and they worked as Matthew said, a lie now would only undermine her case. She knew from experience that describing the wrong that had been done to her would only increase the animosity towards her. In this case, however, she determined it was worth it. 

“One of them punched me. One slapped me. One held my arms pinned behind my back.” She didn’t add that her stomach was still sore, and knew her cheek was red. She didn’t go into the pain she felt, knowing it would be pointless. Now that they knew what had been done to her, however, they couldn’t side step what a truth teller would confirm. 

The principal started to look uncomfortable, and glanced back and forth between the cadets and Eleni for a moment.

“Yes, well, I see no reason to dwell upon this unfortunate incident. All of you, back to class.” When Matthew started to speak again, Eleni touched his arm, and shook her head. He searched her face for a moment, obviously frustrated, but then let it go. 

“Where is your class?” He asked her.

“Summers, I believe you are going to your class, not hers. Ms. Frost is here to accompany you, to make sure you don’t get…lost.” The principal was glaring daggers at Matthew. Matthew returned the look.  
“I am going to walk Eleni to her class first. To make sure she is safe.” He looked to Eleni, and she started walking, wanting it all to be over. The principal tried again.

“Summers, if you don’t want a black mark on your record then you will return to your class as ordered.”

“This isn’t the military. You’ll have to be satisfied with that group,” he gestured at the retreating cadets, “who I’m sure will be happy to follow your orders brainlessly.” The principal opened his mouth to argue back, but the teacher at his side spoke first.

“Oh, let him take his trick back to class. Ms. Frost can accompany them to make sure they don’t get distracted.” 

Feeling Matthew’s rising anger, Eleni went back and grabbed his arm.

“It’s not worth it, Matthew.” She said in a quiet voice. He looked down at her but thankfully let her lead him away.

“Elle, are you really ok?” He asked once they were out of sight of the group. Eleni could hear Jenna trailing a few paces behind them.

“I’ll be fine.” She looked up at him as they walked. “We can talk about it later.” He looked at her in concern, but stopped talking, and they went the rest of the way in silence. 

At the classroom, Eleni gave Matthew one more look, then entered. The teacher immediately turned to glare at her, and the students sniggered. Stone faced, Eleni went to the only available seat, in front of a pyrotechnic, accepting that her clothing would be singed by the end of class.

**MATTHEW**

Matthew watched Eleni disappear into the classroom, glad she was in a safer place but still furious about what had happened. His own sister. It was all the worse for that fact. He would never have believed that she would do something so cruel. 

Closing his eyes against his anger and pain, he took a deep breath and turned to walk to his class. He nearly ran into Jenna, who had come to stand beside him. He had forgotten about her. Moving to the side, he strode down the hall to the staircase.

“Mattie.” Jenna jogged up beside him and tried to get him to talk. At the dance school, she had continued to be physically closer to him than he liked when they worked together, and was always trying to create a situation where they would be alone. It hadn’t happened, and he worked hard to keep it that way. He wished Jenna would get the message and move on.

“Mattie,” more insistent this time, “I’m not the bad guy here. Don’t take it out on me.” Matthew sighed.

“Jenna, I don’t want to talk about what just happened. I don’t want to talk to you about anything really. You have no sympathy for Eleni. You probably would have just as soon been in the circle with my sister, taking a shot at her.”

“Matthew!” Her tone was full of hurt indignation. “How can you say something like that? You know me, you know me better than anyone! I would never do something like that!” Matthew recalled Jenna’s prank a couple weeks back. He wasn’t so sure. 

“Really, Mattie, it’s a hopeless case, can’t you see that? You’re getting all worked up about other people hurting her, but what did you expect bringing her up here? She doesn’t belong here. Did you ever consider that by bringing her here, you were the one hurting her? Of course, people are going to be cruel. She’s not one of us. It’s just wrong. Wrong that she is here, wrong that the two of you are together.”  
Jenna’s voice broke at this point. Matthew didn’t care, and didn’t even try to correct Jenna’s impression that he and Eleni were a couple. As her words sank in, however, he did feel a bit sick to his stomach. There was truth in what she was saying. 

Jenna grabbed Matthew’s arm, stopping him in the hall, and spoke quietly and urgently. “Mattie, I know it’s my fault, and I am so sorry. I am sorry I hurt you, I am sorry I didn’t apologize sooner. I drove you to this. But what you are doing now, it’s stupid. You are just going to end up hurting her and yourself and probably a lot of other people in the process. The sooner you realize that and give up this charade, the better. Please, think about it, Mattie. That’s all I ask.”

Matthew stood there, stunned, staring down at Jenna’s face. His stomach felt even worse. Numbly, he turned to continue to class. Jenna stayed beside him, regaining her composure. Just before they reached their class, she rested her hand on his lower arm, giving it a gentle squeeze before letting him go and entering the classroom ahead of him. In a petty gesture, he wiped his arm off where she had touched it, wishing he could wipe her words away as well.

That night, Matthew didn’t stay at Madam P’s for dinner. Eleni had taken the afternoon off from dancing. He had felt through the bond that she was still in some pain, and had expressed his concern for her to Madam P. The woman’s face had been a mask of anger at hearing about the incident. She had followed Eleni into the house for a short while, and Matthew had felt reassured that Eleni was getting any care she needed.

Now, he was at home, though, where things were far from quiet. The school hadn’t bothered to send any sort of message to their father, Eleni was of so little concern in their eyes, and Adam learned of the incident when he had returned from the overnight trip he had taken to the vineyard to find his children beating each other up in the living room. The man attempted to separate them, but in the end gave up and resigned himself to yelling at them to stop before they hurt each other seriously. 

Matthew was dismayed to find that his sister had learned quite a bit about fighting, and he was hit several times. More times than he hit her. He landed a few good punches, however, and was satisfied when he finally connected his fist to her gut in retribution for what she had done to Eleni. He pulled away from her then, pushing her down as she tried to recover from the hit, and told his father exactly what Jalisa had done that day.

Adam was horrified, and didn’t even chastised them for beating up on each other.

“Jae, how could you do something like that? That is not how I raised you!” Her hand on her stomach, Jalisa had glared at Matthew.

“Yeah, run and tell daddy, that’s brave. Get back over here and let me finish you off like you know I was going to.” Matthew ignored the feeling that she was right about his chances against her. Adam spoke again.

“Jae, I don’t believe this is who you are. I want you to leave cadet training, for now. You can return when you finish school if you want.”

“It’s the only thing that is going right in my life, Dad. I’m not leaving. And you know as well as I that Matthew needs to start using his brain and get rid of that sewer rat. Send her back down with the trash already. I was just trying to make the message a little clearer, as my big brother here is suddenly only able to think with his dick.” Matthew gritted his teeth and balled his fists, ready to hit her again, out matched or not. Adam held him back. When the man spoke, his voice was riddled with pain.

“If you won’t leave training, then you can’t live here. I abhor what you did today, Jalisa. I will not support it in any way. You can live in their dormitories.” Matthew was shocked, and he could see Jalisa was as well. She had never expected their father would take such a hard line. Then her face closed up.

“Fine. Let me pack and I’ll be gone.” She hissed, and stormed upstairs. Matthew glanced at his father. The man looked defeated, as if he already regretted his decision. Matthew didn’t; he wanted to be as far from his sister as possible and was fine with her leaving. He looked away from his father’s pain. Once his sister descended with her bag and left, he retreated to his room.

There, he reached out through the psychic bond to check in on Eleni, as no obvious feelings washed his way. She seemed pensive, now, with an undercurrent of anxiety. The anxiety was a relief; earlier she had been much too calm for what had happened. 

He pulled back, feeling slightly guilty about his use of the bond: he normally just monitored it from a distance. 

In contrast, his telepathic activities from earlier in the day produced no feelings of guilt. It had felt good to use his telepathy, especially to use it to help Eleni. His anger at what Jae and her cadet friends had done rose up, and he found his face twisted and his hands in fists. 

Closing his eyes, he pushed the anger away, instead focusing on how the cadets must have felt to suddenly lose total control of their bodies. It had been easy. Somehow, he had always known something like that would be easy for him. If it was just one command, he was confident he could control many times that number. 

Strange, though, that controlling others hadn’t been part of the training he recalled from his childhood. He remembered sifting through a few minds, temporarily stopping certain functions in the body, telling someone to believe something was true, but never taking over a mind in its entirety. Well, today he had, and he would do it again if it was required. Everyone knew that now.

_It’ll be ok, Mattie. Just believe in the Magnetist. _ Matthew paused, as a young face with marks down the back of the cheeks and onto the neck flashed through his mind’s eye. He hadn’t thought of that person in a long time. He gave a nostalgic smile at the memory as it slipped away.

The use of his telepathy came back to haunt Matthew, unfortunately; people seemed to care about that more than the actual assault. The next day, Adam cornered Matthew at the dance school, revealing that the administrators from the Pryde School had contacted him that morning with concern over the ‘unreasoned’ use of his son’s mutant ability. Matthew had left the extent to which he had used his telepathy out of the story when he had told his father what happened to Eleni. 

“If I hadn’t stopped them when I did, Eleni would have been hurt far worse!” He defended his actions. Adam held up his hands as if it would calm his adult son.

“Matthew, I understand that. But you overrode the minds of seven individuals. It makes people nervous.”

“They know I’m powerful. That’s why they love me so much, right?” They just don’t want to be reminded of what I can do, he finished sourly to himself.

Adam actually squirmed, and Matthew knew his father was thinking the same thing, and seeing right through the hypocrisy of it. 

“Matthew, don’t control anyone else. It crosses a line.”

“And what the cadets did, didn’t cross a line?”

“You and I know it did, but you also know that most of the people here won’t see it as such.” Adam turned his resigned eyes to Matthew, “Yes, it is not fair, but it is the world we live in.” Matthew wanted nothing more than to escape that world at that moment. With Eleni. 

Adam wasn’t done. “Matthew, you are required to do a brief interview about the event. To ensure that you continue to be judicious in the usage of your powers.” Matthew growled.

“What if I don’t go?” Now Adam’s eyes were stern.

“That is not an option.”

The interview was scheduled for two days later, and apart from the indignation Matthew felt, it wasn’t so bad.

The man he met was of medium height, with dark brown skin and straight black hair that was starting to go grey. His dark eyes, nearly black, surveyed Matthew after the introductions.

“This won’t take long, son. I just have a few questions.” Matthew focused on answering the questions as quickly as possible. They started with the ‘incident’ then moved on to his daily use of telepathy, which was as a rule null. The man nodded his head in satisfaction at the information he gathered from Matthew. At the end, he looked up with one last question.

“Has anything unusual or different occurred involving your telepathy in the past few weeks?”

“No.” Matthew said tersely, glad to be done. The man nodded in satisfaction and released Matthew. After he left, Matthew belatedly realized that the psychic bond would have been considered something unusual, however it had appeared close to two months ago now, and hadn’t even registered as something unusual in his thoughts. It was for the best, he decided, as he didn’t want to break his promise to Eleni about keeping knowledge of the bond between them. 

Eleni, for her part, wasted no time in putting the entire incident behind her. Matthew tried to get her to talk about it a few times in the following week, but she kept changing the topic and eventually he gave up. She did admit that the other students left her alone more in the aftermath, which was a relief. Matthew noticed himself getting more glances, and suspected some people avoided him now. He didn’t care. 

Four days after the attack, G and Bright showed up at the dance school again. Matthew was glad to see Eleni sit beside G and speak with him for a few minutes. When she shifted to be closer to Bright, with whom she was developing a friendship, Matthew went to sit by G.

“Did she tell you about the other day?” G shook his head.

“No. But Travis was DownMountain yesterday and told me.” G cast a despairing look at Matthew. “We’ve lost her completely, haven’t we?” It took Matthew a moment to realize who he meant. His sister. He didn’t feel very sympathetic.

“She made her choice, G. Don’t dwell on it.” G just shook his head sadly. Then he looked at Matthew.

“Sometimes I think I could have made a difference, you know?”

“What? How?”

“By insisting that we keep in touch more.”

“G, you had Tara to care for. You did so much as it was. You can’t hold yourself responsible for Jae’s actions.” The big man just looked away. When he looked back, he was determined.

“Well, if I missed any chances with her, I’m going to learn from my mistakes and not do it with you.” Nervous, Matthew got up to leave, but G grabbed his arm and sat him back down. “No more beating around the bush, Summers.” He began with his usual emphasis on the name. “You have so much opportunity at your fingertips, and you seem to have reconnected with your heart and conscience. Take the civil course at university, and do some good for us DownMountain. I’ve been asking Travis some questions, and you don’t have to give up anything to do it. You keep your sweet life, but you make ours a bit sweeter in the process, too.” Matthew looked straight ahead. 

“What if it’s not the right thing for me?” G gave a sigh of exasperation.

“Then you use all that money you have to switch to something else, and then help us in some other way! Or give me your extra money.” He looked askance at Matthew. “It doesn’t look like you’re using it beyond your designer clothes.” Matthew looked away at that true statement. “Mattie—” G started again, his tone exasperated.

“I get it!” Matthew snapped. “And you’re right! And I do want to help. I do want to make things better.” And maybe he had needed G to push him a bit to get him there. “The university’s been contacting me for interviews anyway. I’ll start getting that set up, and do some reading.” He hadn’t made much headway on learning anything new about psychic bonds recently, and he had almost exhausted the university’s collection on telepathy. Eleni still asked him about his progress, and he would keep searching, but he could manage some additional reading as well on top of that and his schoolwork.

G was nodding in satisfaction. The man opened his mouth again, but thankfully Eleni stopped him.

“G, if you are done irritating Matthew, Bright and I would like to have a word with him.” G gave the young woman he called his sister an arched look, but with a grand gesture he released Matthew from his presence. Matthew rolled his eyes in exasperation.

“Thanks.” He mumbled to Eleni as he sat beside her.

“Matthew! Eleni!” Madam P’s call came from the stage. “Are you here to dance or to lounge?” This time, Matthew groaned in frustration. 

“We are coming!” Eleni responded for the two of them, then spoke quickly to Matthew. “Bright’s never seen the Atrium. You said you wanted to go again. So, how about this Holday? Madam P will be doing errands, but she might join us for some of it as well. What do you say?”

A date with only Eleni at the Atrium would have been preferable, but he wouldn’t pass up this opportunity.

“Sure!” Bright grinned as Eleni and Matthew got up. 

“We’ll work out the details later!” Eleni called back to Bright as they left to dance.

**ERIC**

“This investment in the DownMountain population, minimal in the time and resources required, will support public health in the cavern, and thereby improving the health and stamina of all workers. It will potentially reduce the pre-term death rate as well. Those benefits will payout in the present to our production units, and in the future with the population growth we are struggling to achieve. The choice is clear. Thank you.”

A smattering of applause followed Yanella Darkholme as she returned to her seat.

“I am glad you were here to witness that vocalization of garbage. Damn Xavierist. She pushes for these measures claiming the benefits to our factories and plantations, but refuses to support measures for longer work hours or fewer breaks. She even goes so far as to claim it will help the population grow but has no hard evidence! She’s been sliding all sorts of useless legislation by in these small sessions. Next she’ll be convincing us to make peace with the Rabbits.” Kentaro Shaw, the current Chair on the Council of Barons, leaned towards his leader from his adjacent seat as he hissed these words. “I know it is normally beneath you, but you must see the necessity of stopping this insanity.”

Eric Lensher hummed in his throat and nodded thoughtfully. He had the power to veto any legislation brought forth by the Barons. For that matter, he could, in theory, create all laws himself. That would lead to chaos, however, and he didn’t wish to court disaster.

As a rule, the Head of the Montagne didn’t attend every council meeting, and only weighed in on votes occasionally. Overall, the Barons were able to manage these decisions proficiently, and it didn’t do well to make himself indispensable in that manner. He wondered if coming this day had been a mistake.

“You may have a point, Ken.” Eric murmured after a moment of thought. He changed the subject. “Have you heard about the technological advances regarding the train?” Kentaro nodded reluctantly.

“I have. They would require a substantial amount of effort in modifications to the existing systems, especially in requisitioning the applicable mutants. I am concerned it would be detrimental to the military forces.” That was where the majority of the requisitioned mutants would come from. Eric waved his hand, not concerned.

“It is not as if those soldiers will be inaccessible, and the project, while it will take some time, would not be indefinite. The savings in energy use, as well an increase in transport speed would be most beneficial to the productions units, in money saved down the road, and,” he gave Kentaro a significant look, “time that workers can be working instead of commuting.” Legislated working hours included the train commute.  
Now Kentaro looked thoughtful. His family held factories that produced military equipment. The Lenshers had several holdings across the factories and plantations. Both would stand to benefit.  
“The time saved is that significant?” The man now sounded interested. Eric nodded. “I will look at it more closely.” 

The session was drawing to a close. Kentaro excused himself to speak with some of his colleagues. No one could leave until the Head had departed.

Eric took his time and surveyed the room. His eyes came to rest on Yanella Darkholme as she gathered the materials she had used for her petition. Glancing up, she caught him looking at her. He gave a cordial nod which she returned. He considered her as she continued with her business, then moved on. 

Next, his eyes snagged on Sirah Allerdyce, not a councilor, but a person of influence who had gained the right to sit in on council meetings. She came to every one Eric attended. Again, his attention was noticed, again he gave a cordial nod which his subject returned. He decided there was no further benefit to prolonging the session.

Standing, he spoke the words that marked his formal departure. 

“We await his Heir in blood and power.” Kentaro murmured as he and all the Cultists did whenever Eric left the room. Eric didn’t acknowledge the comment.

As everyone bowed, he turned and left out a door at the back reserved solely for his use. He made his way back to his official office with his loyal entourage, noticing an individual standing in wait at the door. He tipped his head, indicating they should join him in the room. 

Once there, he removed the hat he always wore, and the heavy medallion formed in the silhouette of Magneto’s helm, the Mantle of the Head. He replaced the latter in the glassed-in case where it resided, but didn’t re-don his hat a he normally would have done.

He turned to face the woman. Her eyes flashed momentarily from brown to red, and then she intoned quietly. “I am loyal only to Eric Lensher XI, who stands before me.” He nodded. She handed him an envelope and after giving a brief report on the status of one of the Lensher assets, left.

Later, Eric sat in the Lensher study, and opened the envelope. He reviewed the report, and then the handwritten notes at the bottom:

\--------------

SOUTH SLOPE REPORT:

Increase in activities.

Cadets questioned. Instigator, Damba, was transferred civilian work as Colonel Garret’s assistant.

A Discontent located in the Sewers.

_Telepath questioned by truth teller. All questions answered honestly. Interview found no indication of self-realization of abilities. All use was instinctual and not planned in advance._

\--------------------

The Head of the Montagne nodded to himself, as he locked the report away. Then he set to writing down a list of people to contact in order to begin a covert operation.

**CITADEL 3020.09.27**

Dave walked the orchard in silence taking in the even rows of trees thriving beneath the low Veil ceiling. It was a beautiful day, and the sun glinted off the peaks of the Citadel looming up in front of them. They were in a section found outside the main city, and was connected back to it by a narrow, covered causeway.

In the back of his mind he was reviewing his meetings with various families over the past few weeks.

“It’s good to see the orchards doing so well.” His father walked to his left, and was trying to use the time to return their relationship to what it had once been. 

Dave made a noncommittal noise. The orchards came from his mother’s family, and as her only child he would inherit this entire section. His father’s money came from investment, and the man had seen a value in physical assets, so he had secured them for his future progeny. 

Reviewing the results of the harvest, the activity they had just finished, was an annual requirement both his parents had expected of him as soon as he could do the math.  
His father sighed at his silence. They walked on.

Dave gazed to the side, out into the distance where he could see the brown haze of the Wastelands. He had walked to the edge of the orchard once to gaze out at the tan-brown expanse that was rocky and dusty at intervals. He had found it depressing, and had never gone to look so closely again. 

Most people in the Citadel never saw what had become of their once verdant land up close. However, sometimes dust storms would rise up and make the Citadel a city suspended in a tan haze. Though they were safe within the Veil, many people stayed home those days and schools were often closed. The reminder of the desolation around them was simply too much to bear.

A sound above made him look up to see one of the Citadel aircrafts, military by the markings, flying above.

“That’s the SAF-15.” His dad remarked. Dave forgot himself for a moment and responded.

“Have you flown it?” There were private planes available for those who had the money, though their range was limited.

“Not yet.” His father was a fan of anything that flew, and had gotten trained and licensed when he was young. “I’ll book one for the two of us.” He had taken Dave up a couple of times as well, and started teaching him the basics. For a moment, Dave nearly assented.

Then he recalled that he had intended to get his own license this past summer. And he recalled why that hadn’t happened.

“Don’t bother.” He returned his gaze to the distant brown horizon at his right, and he tried to focus on something else. While being up in the sky had been exhilarating, it had been difficult to ignore the dead landscape below.

It seemed impossible that anything could have ever grown out there, and yet orchards like the one he stood in had once been plentiful. There were also stories that insects had once done the difficult job of pollinating the plants that now required careful hand tending to produce the desired fruit. Dave wondered at the miracles that had been lost.

“I remember when you did that. Didn’t think you were going to keep it.” His father’s voice pulled him from his reverie. Out of the corner of his eye, Dave saw the man was looking at the side of his head and smiling ruefully. The way he had turned his head had drawn his father’s attention to the earring in his left ear. Reflecting back on that time, he supposed it had been a bit comical. 

_ “Ooh, you look sooo cool, Dave.” Heather teased. Dave shifted uncomfortably, and brought his hand up to his newly pierced left ear. Then he tried to cover his embarrassment._

_ “Whatever. I just wanted to try it out.” That, and there had been some older students there saying he wouldn’t be able to do it. Heather hadn’t been there, though, so she wouldn’t know that._

_“Sure.” She said doubtfully, but she moved closer to him. He, ever so slightly, moved back._

_It was a week after the new school year had started. Things were back to usual, everyone a little older, but no wiser. Not in Dave’s case, at least. He still hadn’t figured out how to bring Eleni around to be reasonable. He had tried once again to talk to her towards the end of the summer, but she had continued to ignore him._

_He fingered the earring again, disconsolately._

_“How is kick boxing going?” Heather said looking over her shoulder at him. Dave gave a half smile, and shrugged._

_“It’s ok.” His dad had insisted he sign up saying he needed an outlet once school had gotten out. Dave couldn’t tell his father the reason for his bad mood, so the man has written it off as teenaged angst._

_The truth was Eleni hadn’t even spoken to him on his 15th birthday, and he had gone out of his way to be at the office building that day. The memory almost made him growl._

_The sport hadn’t done much to improve his mood, but he did enjoy it and planned to continue._

_“Did you decide if you’re going to do any fall sports?” He shook his head._

_“I don’t think I will. Just student council.”_

_Heather looked disappointed. “I was looking forward to coming to a game.”_

_Dave grunted, unsure what to say. He stuck to the topic at hand. “Don’t you have…uh…?”_

_“Field hockey. Maybe you could come by sometime.” She added the latter quietly. Dave nodded but didn’t say anything._

_After a moment of awkward silence, she spoke again._

_“There’s a group going to the arcade. We should join them.” Something about the way she said ‘we’ made him turn his head and look at her. That was when he realized that the rest of their friends had melted away and the two of them were sitting alone. That was also the moment that Eleni emerged from the girl’s school on her way home._

_“I…I’m doing kick boxing this afternoon.” He mumbled, watching Eleni out of the corner of his eye. She glanced over, and suddenly he felt guilty. He stood. “I should get going, actually. Talk to you later, Heather.”_

_He jogged across the courtyard and down the short driveway to the main street. He quickly identified Eleni by her scarf, and ran to catch up._

_“Elle! Wait up!” He called when he got close. She did nothing of the sort. “Are you going to ignore me here, too?” He asked when he finally caught up. She glanced at him, but didn’t speak. She could see that he wasn’t with Heather, right? She walked on in silence. After a minute, he gave up and let her go._

_By the next Rest Day, he had arrived at the conclusion that he needed another opinion. It was awkward, because he couldn’t mention Eleni, but he thought he had it figured out. Now at the breakfast table with his father, he was working up his courage to start._

_“Um, dad, are you heading into the office today?” It wasn’t unusual for Robert Kelly to work on the Rest Day._

_“Uh, no.” The man responded, looking up from his tablet. Dave supposed that meant that Eleni’s mom had the day off as well. They were probably together at a park somewhere._

_“Dad, I wanted to ask you about something.” His father turned off the tablet and set it aside._

_“What is it, Dave?”_

_“Well, it’s actually for a friend.” His father raised his eyebrows and nodded, but didn’t speak. “You see, this friend has another friend. They’re close, ok? But when the first friend hangs out with other people it bothers the…other friend, the one that they are close to.” His father’s brow was wrinkling in confusion._

_“Dave, could we put some names to these ‘friends’? They don’t have to be real.” Dave supposed it did sound a bit confusing when you said it out loud. He tried again._

_“OK. Jack is friends with Jill. They are close.” His father nodded firmly. “But Jack likes to hang out with this other group of friends. Jill doesn’t hang out with them, but she sometimes sees Jack with them and she doesn’t like it. She thinks that Jack has, uh, special friends in that group and it bothers h-, it bothers her.” He stopped there, nervous. Had he said too much?_

_He thought his father looked vaguely amused, but the man responded in all seriousness. “Well, it does happen that you can have more than one group of friends, and the different groups don’t interact or like each other. It happens frequently in my line of work.” The last was a discontent mumble. Dave ignored it. “Usually, however, if you have a friend who is telling you not to hang out with other friends, it is not a good sign. That friendship probably won’t last, unless there is something really wrong with those other friends. And I think you’d be aware of it if that were the case.”_

_That was not what Dave had wanted to hear, but his dad hadn’t gotten the scenario quite right. He was trying to figure out how to make it clearer, without making things too clear, when his father saved him the trouble._

_“However,” the man said slowly, “if Jack and Jill are more than friends, that changes things.” He pinned Dave with a look, but the boy put on his most oblivious of faces and did his best to simply look intent upon what his father was saying._

_Robert Kelly narrowed his eyes, but continued. “You mentioned ‘special friends.’ If Jill cares for Jack, and Jack for Jill, and she is upset because it looks like Jack is paying more attention to other girls than he should, that is an issue that they need to work out.”_

_“But how?” Then, to make it clear this wasn’t about him, “He really wants to know. My friend.” Finally, they were getting to something that might be helpful._

_“Well, Jack needs to realize that appearances do matter, especially when you have someone you care about. Jill doesn’t hang out with this group of friends at all?” Dave shook his head._

_“Different group of people. You know, like the chess team and the jocks, that sort of thing.” His father nodded, taking this information in. Dave got the impression the man nearly rolled his eyes._

_“Well then, Jill doesn’t know what goes on when Jack is with this other group. And that is normal, and it goes both ways. But if when she sees them, there are things that bother her, like Jack giving too much attention to a particular individual, then that cannot be ignored. If Jack wants to be…close.’” There had definitely been a pause and then a purposeful emphasis on the last word. Dave got the feeling his father was teasing him now, but shrugged it off, intent on his purpose._

_“But Jack isn’t doing anything with this other g-, I mean with the other people. He treats them all the same.”_

_“And yet, Jill is seeing something that bothers her. Appearances matter. Jack needs to understand that.”_

_“And?!” This was not very helpful._

_“He needs to talk to Jill. Maybe try to get her to believe that there is really nothing she should be worried about, or find some sort of compromise. But if she doesn’t accept that, then I don’t think Jack and Jill are going to work out. Unless Jack stops hanging out with those friends. That is a change he might not be willing to make, if he is indeed doing nothing that warrants concern. It all comes down to how important is Jack to Jill, and Jill to Jack? That is the question they need to be asking themselves. And they may not like the answers they find, but that is often the way of things.” Dave grimaced, not liking the answers he was finding._

_“Thanks.” He muttered, and started to excuse himself to go stew over the conversation in his room. His father stopped him._

_“Dave, I’m glad you brought this issue up to me. It’s made me realize it is time for you and I to talk. About relationships and all that goes along with them.” Dave felt his face redden. He had had a couple of these talks already with his dad, basic mechanics and such, and didn’t see the need for another. He got a lot of information from his friends._

_“Um, I was going to go meet my friends…”_

_“And get your other ear pierced? I think they can wait.” Robert Kelly had not been impressed at Dave’s show of bravado towards the older kids._

_He told Dave to go sit in the living room, while he retrieved a massive tome from Dave had no idea where. Most of the time people used tablets for reading, but they weren’t great when pictures were involved. Pictures were very much involved in this book. Dave belatedly recalled that his father had been a doctor before moving on to his current career. He was sure texts like this were not commonly available to the general public._

_The talk went far beyond basic mechanics, and the book was a great deal more detailed than what his father had shown him before. Or what they were taught in school; that lesson had mostly focused on how those bodily functions were to be reserved for marriage._

_The conversation was thoroughly embarrassing like the others had been, but also thorough unto itself and enlightening. It ranged from the physical to the emotional, from boundaries to communication to consent. Respect, to be both given and expected in return, was a common theme throughout. His father encouraged him to ask questions, and Dave learned a lot. The conversations with his friends had been very different, and, he started to understand, quite possibly incorrect._

_It was midafternoon by the time he found all his questions had been answered. He asked his father if he could borrow the book for a while, and the man hadn’t minded, so he had taken it back to his room where it now sat in a drawer in his desk._

_He was back to thinking about the situation with Eleni, and understood better the choice he had. What Heather was doing, despite the fact that he never encouraged it, was not ok with Eleni. He could either stop it, and get Eleni back, or do nothing, but accept that he and Eleni probably wouldn’t be together again. She had made that clear._

_He decided, and starting the next day at school, he made a point of moving away from Heather each time she ended up next to him. It was awkward, until he instead focused on always being at the center of a group of boys. He was popular, and simply invited more of his classmates to hang out with his group after school. It worked, and as the days went by, he found himself keeping an eye on the entrance to the girl’s academy to see if Eleni noticed._

_He wasn’t able to tell, so he started going to his father’s office again when he was free. He joined Eleni if she was studying in the office, and if she was practicing her dancing, he made a point of sitting by the overturned table, hoping she would come over and talk to him._

_It didn’t go well. She continued to ignore him. Nonetheless, every chance he got he was there, and when she danced he stubbornly sat watching her as he had done since they were children. Frustration aside, he enjoyed that. He had missed watching her dance._

_As the days passed and started to become weeks, he began to worry. Finally, one day when she stopped dancing, she glanced at him, and sighed as if giving up on something. Then, slowly, she came over and sat down next to him. Just that act brought him a wave of relief._

_“I’m sorry, Elle, that I didn’t listen to you. Or see that what Heather was doing was really bothering you.” He willed her to have seen that he had distanced himself from Heather. “I miss you,” he added quietly._

_She glanced over at him, then after a moment, moved her backpack between them and dug into the small pocket at the front, pulling something out._

_“Could you help me put this on?” She said, holding out the silver bracelet with the heart shaped pendant on it. He felt incredibly happy as he had put it back on her left wrist, and then just looked at her wishing it was a night they could go into the small room next door._

_She glanced at the doors before bringing her lips to his in a brief kiss. As she pulled back, she rested her forehead on his for a moment and whispered that she had missed him, too. Then she reached up and gently touched the earring._

_“What is this?” He ran his hand over it, embarrassed._

_“I don’t know. It just happened. Kind of stupid of me.” Her golden-brown eyes were dancing, but her smile was shy. He had been about to say he was going to get rid of it when she spoke.  
“I kind of like it.” Suddenly, keeping the earing didn’t seemed such a bad idea._

“She gave that to you, didn’t she?” His father’s question shook him out of the memory. Dave reached up and touched the earring that was the subject of their conversation, but didn’t answer. “I haven’t seen you without it since you put it in.” Dave dropped his arm. 

“I’d rather not talk about it. 

“Dave, they were important to me, too. Yes, I made a terrible mistake, but you have to see that the situation was unsustainable. Would you rather I had let her be killed as in infant?” Dave didn’t want to think of having never known Eleni. That didn’t make what had happened ok. 

Looking away from his father, he again focused on the distant brown horizon, which was now uninterrupted as they had left the trees, and again turned his thoughts to his plan. Kurt had been reluctant last week when he had provided names to Dave, but provide them he had. Dave had met with the first of those families just a few days ago, and it had gone well. 

He tried to hold on to that sense of cautious satisfaction but his eyes again focused on the distant horizon where the dead brown met the brilliant blue sky and his thoughts again turned dark. Distorted by the heat, a last gasp of summer, the line seemed to twist and flicker. It looked like invisible tongues of fire, promising death outside their covered world. He shuddered. 

It was told that in the decades after the Devastation, in the summers, the city had often been surrounded by a lurid glow. Wildfires, burning away what had existed of their paradise piece by piece, year by year, until there was no more left to burn. They had had to raze the ground for miles around the covered city to protect it from also becoming a victim of that inferno. 

The distant fires had fed the rise of religious fanaticism, with many truly believing that Hell was being visited upon the earth. 

Dave didn’t disagree. In his opinion, it was still here. 

He and his father reached the gate to the orchard in silence. Two transports waited outside. Ignoring his father’s look of despair, he climbed into his and returned to the city alone. 


	16. Chapter 15

**ELENI**

A week after the attack, Eleni was called to the principal’s office. Preparing herself for the worst, she walked cautiously behind the man who had been sent to collect her. Apparently, she wasn’t to be trusted on her own in the halls. They entered an administrative room that held a few desks and people, then proceeded to a door at the back.

When they reached the office, she entered slowly, causing her guide to turn in annoyance. It was as large as the administrative room they had just left. The shelves in the room were filled with school trophies, framed documents lined the wall, and a few potted plants provided bursts of green. A desk, a few feet shorter than the room, stood in front the far wall, and the principal, a man in his later years, sat there solemnly. 

His skin was light brown, just about the same color as Eleni’s, and he had a fringe of white hair around his head. He wore glasses that made him look grandfatherly, but his suit had a militaristic air to it that belied any kindly notions.

“Thank you for bringing her, Leland. You can close the door as you leave.” Eleni spoke quickly, but clearly.

“I’d rather have the door left open, please.”

The principal looked at her, surprised and annoyed. “Really, child, that is not necessary.”

“But it is my right. Page 47 of the student handbook clearly states that if a student doesn’t wish it, they cannot be forced to remain in a closed room with another individual.” This detail clearly made the principal furious, although he tried to hide it. With a strained smile, he said, “Leland, just leave the door open, then. Thank you.”

The principal turned his attention back to Eleni, a sour look on his face. Then he stretched his lips in what she guessed was supposed to be a smile.

“There is someone who would like to speak with you. She should be here soon. It seems that incident in the hall drew some attention, and those cadets were quite out of line. I agree of course, but when the military is involved, it is not my place to dole out punishment. I am sure you understand, child.” Eleni recalled a very different reaction from him directly following the attack. She wondered at his change of attitude.  
She didn’t acknowledge his comment. It had not been a question. “Please sit.” She remained standing.

A moment later, someone swept into the room. Eleni turned to see a striking woman in her early-twenties. Her glossy black hair was styled in waves to her just below her shoulders. She was dressed smartly in slacks and a button-down shirt that hugged her figure to its advantage, and had an air of confidence and grace about her. Her features were long, strong and sat handsomely on her pale face. Her piercing blue eyes pinned Eleni from the moment she entered. 

“Principal Dawes, my apologies for running late. This is her, I assume? Wonderful. I’ll take it from here. Please close the door on your way out.”  
“I’d like the door left open.” Eleni didn’t bother with the ‘please’ this time. 

The principal laughed embarrassedly. “School rule, my lady. It’s in the handbook. If the student is not comfortable….” His voice trailed off, suggesting a deficit on the part of the student. Eleni thought she saw a flash of irritation on the woman’s face.

“Of course. No problem. This should only take a short while. You’ll have your office back in no time. You may leave now.” The man left, making what appeared to be a bow on the way out.

The woman observed Eleni for a moment, and Eleni took the opportunity to do the same. In addition to the air of confidence around this woman, was an air of authority. She had a right to be unseating the principal. It spoke of power. Eleni wondered with just whose attention she had caught. The woman smiled generously.

“I can see you are wondering why I am here. There is no need to dance around the subject. Last week, some cadets harassed you in these very halls. The story made its way back to more senior authorities in the military, who were horrified. We in the military are dedicated to ensuring that all within the embrace of the Montagne can lead a safe and happy life. What those cadets did, a personal grudge I am led to understand, was completely unauthorized and out of character with the rest of our organization. I am here to impress upon you our sincere apologies for that breech in conduct of our persons, and assure you that it will not happen again. If it does, you can come directly to me to seek recourse.” The woman smiled graciously.

“And you are…?”

At this question, the woman’s perfect mask slipped for a moment, and Eleni clearly saw disgust and outrage on her face. Then a genial expression snapped back into place.

“Why, it’s Eleni, right? Pretty name. You truly don’t know who I am?” Eleni shook her head. “Indeed. That is our oversight. Thank you for bringing this lapse to my attention. It shall be seen to. There should be no one within the walls of the Montagne who does not know their future ruler.” The woman arched her neck back slightly, gazing imperiously down her nose at Eleni. “I am Tracy Lensher. Niece to the current Head, and the next to lead when he steps down. You may address me as Lady Tracy. In me, Eleni, you have a powerful ally.”

Tracy Lensher. Travis’s sister. Eleni had heard the name bandied about as well as a few choice comments from the gang at the Tower. Little of it had been positive. She doubted this woman was an ally.

“I thank you. But I should really be getting back to class now.”

Tracy acted as if Eleni hadn’t said anything. She was gazing at her face. “You know, the tabloids say a lot about you. But they don’t say how pretty you are. And your eyes. Eyes like that are rare here. You could be my cousin.” The look Tracy was giving Eleni, was not one that should pass between cousins, and was taking in all of her, not just her eyes. Tracy moved forward, reaching out as if to catch Eleni’s chin in her hand. Eleni stepped back. The other woman laughed, not swayed.

“You are as jumpy as a rabbit. Forgive me if I startled you, I got a bit distracted. Here.” She pulled a small piece of paper out of her pocket. “This is my contact information. As I said, should anything happen don’t hesitate to contact me. And don’t forget, I am a powerful ally.” 

_Or a powerful enemy_, Eleni thought to herself. No, she didn’t want anything to do with this woman. She wanted this woman to forget about her completely. 

“I’ll be going now.” She said. She had already thanked future Head, and there was no need to do so twice. Again, annoyance on Tracy’s face, but it passed quickly and Eleni left the room. 

As she was making her way through the administrative office, Travis burst in.

“Eleni, is everything ok. Ebony tipped me off that something – Tracy, what are you doing here?!”

Tracy was standing in the office door, gazing with what appeared to be fondness at her brother.

“Travis! It’s been too long! You should visit more.”

“You always have girls over.” Travis stated, giving his sister an even look. Irritation rippled across Tracy’s features, and she flashed a quick glance at Eleni. 

“Well, next time I’ll be sure to invite some boys as well, for you Travis. But only if you bring your new friend with you.” She smiled at Eleni.

Travis’ brow wrinkled. “Uh, we’ll see.” Was all he said.

Tracy waved her goodbyes and swept out of the office. Eleni noticed that several people looked after her, admiration in their eyes. When they looked back at Eleni, it was as if it had never been there. 

Eleni and Travis left the office, heading back to the second floor where both their classes were meeting. The previous period had ended during Eleni’s trip to the principal’s office, and the next one had only just started.

“People really like your sister, it seems.” Travis made a vague sound and waved his hand dismissively, but didn’t answer. Eleni continued. “She is looking forward to being in charge here.” As an after-thought, she added. “I didn’t recognize who she was. She didn’t like that.” Travis actually grinned.

“She wouldn’t.” Then in an undertone, “I hope my uncle doesn’t step down for a long time.” 

“What is he like?” Eleni asked delicately. Eleni wasn’t paying a lot of attention to how the Montagne was ruled, but she had picked up that the current Head wasn’t popular. Matthew had little good to say about him, believing, as he did, that it was better to avoid any Lensher. Eleni knew he hadn’t been happy when he learned of her association with Travis. However, Eleni had not yet found any reason to doubt the young man.

Travis considered her comment. “Measured. He doesn’t rush things.” The young man peered sideways at Eleni. “You could come over and meet him if you’d like. Judge for yourself.” 

Eleni was shocked by the invitation, and suspected a jest. She quickly shook her head. 

“No. Thank you.” Travis shrugged.

“Well, the offer stands. And, of course, if you do meet him, don’t lie to him.” Travis threw the comment out humorously, but it struck Eleni cold. 

“Wha--? Oh, of course.” She stammered. The Head must be a truth teller. Eleni thought fast. “That must suck for you.” 

“It’s not so different from hanging out with Summers, right?”

“I suppose.” She said, alarmed at the idea that the Head was a telepath. That was odd that Matthew hadn’t said anything. She made a note to ask him.

“So, what did my sister want?” 

Eleni quickly described her encounter with Tracy. 

“It’s a bit odd that she was sent to talk with me, no?” The more she moved past her shock and thought about it, the more the scenario struck her as odd.

Travis didn’t seem to find it so.

“I don’t know. They were completely out of line in what they did. I’m really sorry about that, Elle.”

“It’s not like _you_ asked them.” He had apologized before. She hadn’t known what to make of it then, either.

“Yeah, but the military is supposedly acting in the Lensher name. As much as Magneto fought against the Montagne becoming a monarchy, it basically is in all but name. So,” he looked down, “I feel some responsibility. And for that reason, it kind of makes sense that they sent Tracy.” He glanced around, making sure no one else was close before continuing. “And my mom mentioned there is a bit of a power struggle going on with Tracy. She’ll lead the military at some point, but they want her to learn the rules first. She doesn’t like that. Sending her on an errand like this…” Eleni nodded, understanding the suggestion. “Don’t spread that around, ok?”

“I won’t.” Eleni peered at Travis, wondering at his openness. She had no intention of abusing it, but found it odd. “She said I should call her ‘Lady Tracy’. Do you have some kind of title, too?” Travis grimaced.

“They forego the titles at school, but outside I am ‘Lord Travis’. Until Tracy becomes Head, and pumps out a few babies. Then they will encourage me to marry into some family and take that name.” Eleni blinked.

“You won’t be a Lensher anymore?”

“They keep track of the genes in case something drastic happens, but in all likelihood, I will blend into morass.” He grinned at her. “I’m looking forward to it.” Then he winked.

They reached her class.

“I’ll see you at lunch, today.” Travis said in parting. “I’ll be at the table.” 

As the young lord retreated down the hall to his own class, Eleni steeled herself to be humiliated for being late, and opened the door in front of her.

**MATTHEW**

Matthew was tense as he waited to pick Eleni up. They had walked to school together since the start of the semester, and those walks were normally very pleasant. They never spoke of anything too serious: the topics normally focused on the latest music or shows, though Eleni didn’t watch television very much. She did enjoy listening to music, and he had continued to try to get her to come out to a live concert with little luck so far apart from her desire to see Hulio perform.

Today was different, however. Matthew had heard some disturbing news the night before from one of his friends. He hated to interrupt the normally lighthearted morning conversations, but needed to make sure Eleni understood the gravity of the situation.

“Hey.” She said, as she came down the stairs.

“Hey.” He replied, and they fell into step with each other.

Matthew looked around to make sure no one was close by, took a deep breath in preparation, and dove in.

“Eleni?”

“Hmmm?” She glanced at him as they walked.

“I heard that Tracy Lensher was at the school the other day. Talking to you.”

“She was. What of it?” Eleni didn’t seem concerned in the least. Matthew was glad he had brought it up.

“She is not a good person to be associating with.” _She’s dangerous,_ he almost added, but stopped himself. 

Eleni’s eyebrows went up.

“She’s next in line to rule this place. Isn’t that the kind of person people usually try to be associated with?” 

“She’s bad news. She just wants to control everything around her. She’s notorious for ruining people’s lives for the fun of it. And she’s in the military, which never bodes well.” Eleni took this all in evenly.

“I know you have something against the Lenshers, and the military, but Travis has only been a help. Maybe you are wrong about Tracy, too.” Matthew looked around nervously, and missed the facetious tone of the last part.

“Don’t say that so loud, ok? About not liking the Lenshers.” He spoke in quiet tones, relieved to see no one had been near them. He should have waited until the evening to bring this up. Eleni looked at him, annoyed.

“OK. Anyway, you have nothing to worry about. I wasn’t planning to take her up on her invitation.”

“Invitation?” Eleni smirked.

“Well, it wasn’t exactly a direct invitation. She asked Travis to bring me to one of her parties.” The young woman seemed to find this humorous, and gave a laugh. Matthew found no humor in it at all.

“Stay away from her, Elle.” He said flatly. Eleni looked at him, eyebrows again raised, but this time her eyes were sharp.

“What? Why are you telling me what to do?”

“She’s notorious for…seducing women.” He got the truth out with difficulty.

“You’re worried about this? What if I want to be seduced? Might be fun.” She shrugged casually, but her eyes remained sharp.

“You don’t. Trust me. She’ll just use you then throw you away.” Now Eleni’s eyes went hard. She twisted her lips and looked away.

“You know, Patches said something quite similar to me back when I was still at the Towers. Except, of course, he wasn’t referring to Lady Tracy Lensher at the time.” Matthew didn’t have to ask who Patches had been referring to at the time. “It’s a bit insulting that both of you think I’d allow myself to be treated in such a way.”

“Look, Eleni, you don’t know about this woman. She’s a predator. I’m just looking out for you! I know how they treat you up here and you just take it. You didn’t even fight back when the cadets got you. So yeah, I’m worried you’re a bit vulnerable.” Eleni’s eyes flashed, and her jaw tightened. Disgust and irritation colored the bond.

“Yes, I take some of that and keep on walking. Because I know that is better than the alternative, and I know that the shit they throw at me is just a reflection of what they really are on the inside.” These words were spat with venom, and Matthew was momentarily taken aback by her passion. “But, you are talking about actively putting myself in the hands of a person who has anything but my best interests in mind. If there is anyone here who would be fit that image, it would be you. And I’m starting to wonder if it was such a good idea to trust you!”

The school came into view, and Matthew knew he should stop the conversation. He just couldn’t let it end on that note.

“You know I have your best interests in mind! I want only the best for you! Look at how I’ve improved your life.” Eleni’s lips pressed into a thin line at that comment.

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe I do need to take a closer look at that situation.” She said evenly, and turned her gaze straight ahead. That was no good.

“Come on, Elle. Don’t make this into something it is not. Not after everything I’ve done for you! I’m helping you!”

“Matthew, it’s time for school. This conversation is done.” Matthew ignored the looks from other students standing in the courtyard around them. Eleni picked up her pace and strode ahead of him through the doors.

Matthew barely paid attention in classes that day. He dwelled on the disaster of a conversation, and its dissatisfying resolution. Or lack thereof. He expected to pick up where they had left off on the walk back to Madam P’s, but Eleni surprised him.

“Matthew, about this morning, just forget it, ok? I should have said that my instincts told me Tracy Lensher was no one I wanted to be close to, so really, there is no concern there. Does that help you feel better?”  
He bristled slightly at her condescension, but thought seriously about her answer. Tracy had been the issue that started their fight, and Eleni’s response was reassuring. Why pursue the uncomfortable topic any further?

“Sure. I’m glad to hear that.” After a pause, he was glad to change the subject. “Are we all set for this Holday?” He asked referring to their upcoming visit to the Atrium with Bright.

“Yup. We’ll meet Bright at the station at 11.” He nodded.

They walked the rest of the way in silence.

Three days later, Matthew walked the Atrium trying to enjoy its beauty. He focused on the greenery, so rare in the Montagne, the blue of the sky above and the happy sounds that surrounded him. The younger person at his side was enthralled, and he occasionally pointed out a particularly impressive part of the contained sliver of paradise to make sure they wouldn’t miss it. This visit was for them, after all. If it hadn’t gone how he had hoped, there was nothing to be done about that now, and it was no reason to ruin it for Bright.

Everything had been set for Bright’s first visit to the Atrium, However, that morning, at the last minute, Eleni had called to say her history project was taking more time than she had expected, and that she needed the day to work on it. Disappointed, Matthew had met Bright at the station alone, and brought them to the massive indoor garden.

Now he and Bright were enjoying the Atrium as planned, and it was pleasant. They had gotten relatively fewer comments than he and Eleni when they went out together. Matthew supposed that was because people didn’t know who Bright was.

The visit had also been awkward. Matthew had forgotten about the young person’s interest in him, but their hesitant glances his direction and shy smiles reminded him of what Eleni herself had told him months ago. He hoped that those feelings had passed, and that he was imagining things, but his gut was telling him otherwise. 

So, he was focusing on being pleasant but not too friendly, and getting to the end of the visit as quickly as he politely could. He thought that moment was approaching, as they had eaten the picnic he’d brought, then rounded the Atrium and visited some of the enclosed gardens. Bright had seen what the Atrium had to offer, and he thought they had enjoyed it. He decided the visit there was complete. 

He opened his mouth to suggest they head back to the station, when Bright spoke.

“Do you think we could just sit for a bit and enjoy it? Maybe over there?” They pointed to a beach that was surrounded by bushes and a few small trees. It was slightly secluded, which made Matthew uncomfortable, but glancing around he couldn’t find an alternative, so he agreed.

Once seated on the bench, Bright commented on the beauty of the Atrium, and wondered if this was what the world had been like before the Devastation. Matthew agreed with their assessment.

“I suppose it must have. All the trees and bushes. There would have been fields, as well.” He remembered seeing pictures of those in the books at Madam P’s. They fell silent for a moment, and when Bright spoke again, Matthew felt himself cringe.

“Matthew, I’m glad we had this time together. I wanted to tell you sometime.” Matthew opened his mouth to fend off what he knew was coming, but they went on without noticing. “I, I like you. A lot. And was wondering if you might be…interested in me. As…as someone to be with.” Matthew pushed down his embarrassment and dismay, and tried to figure out how to turn them down in the nicest way possible. 

“Bright, I am…I mean, you are a wonderful person. I really like you, but…only as a friend. I’m sorry—” Bright cut his apologies off with an embarrassed wave. Matthew could see the pain on their face. 

“Don’t worry about it.” How could he not? He could see their tears. “I knew that might be your answer. You’ve never shown special interest in me. It’s just that…” they took a deep breath, and wiped their eyes, “…my grandmother taught me it is better to tell someone if you care about them. Once you are pretty sure they are a good person, that is. But, I mean, if you don’t you might miss out on something wonderful. And if it doesn’t work out, it’s better to get your heart broken properly so you can move on instead of hanging on to a dream. So, this is for the best. It is.” The conviction they tried to put into their words were belied by the shaking of their voice. He felt terrible. He didn’t know what to do, but sat there next to Bright mentally willing support into them. He felt it wouldn’t be good to show his support outwardly, however. 

After a while, they calmed down. “I should be getting back.” 

“I’ll go with you to the train.” Matthew said, quietly.

“You don’t have to do that.” Bright quickly interjected.

“I want to.” He replied. It was the least he could do, would mean a safe trip there for them, and wouldn’t extend their pain that much longer.

At the train, he apologized again, saying how wonderful they were. Bright told him not to worry about it, and repeated the comment about getting their heart broken properly. Then they got on the train, and he left the station. 

He didn’t go home, however. On the silent trip from the Atrium, he had thought about how it was Eleni who had told him of Bright’s interest. And it was Eleni who had proposed this outing, then canceled at the last possible moment. His heart contracted to think she had set them up, but he found he had to know. He went to Madam P’s.

Eleni answered the door when he arrived, and there was a flash of surprise and dismay through the bond. And a hint of guilt. He held on to that. 

“How was it?” She asked brightly, after leading him into the living room. He just looked at her evenly.

“Elle, did you do that on purpose?” She stopped for a moment, then turned to face him, her face a mask of questioning innocence. “Set Bright and I up?”

“What? I have no idea what you are talking about!” She gave him a weird look, but he felt her guilt grow. Guilt and hesitation. No, that wasn’t hesitation. His brow furrowed in pain and anger.

“Don’t lie to me, Eleni.” He walked up to her, the alarm he felt confirming his suspicion. “You had no right to do that. It wasn’t fair to Bright. It wasn’t fair to me. It wasn’t your decision to make.” Through her alarm, she seemed confused. She stared at his chest for a moment. Then she pulled herself up, and raised her anger to meet his.

“Maybe. Like you have no right to tell me who should and should not be my friend, or try to run my life. You aren’t my keeper, Matthew.”

He blinked at that, then realized she was referring to their conversation regarding Tracy’s visit.

“Look, Eleni, I’m sorry about that. Anyway, this is completely unrelated! You set me up with someone else without even asking me. That was wrong!”

“Is it—is it unrelated? You--- you reeked of jealously, when you have nothing to be jealous of! There is nothing between us. I was just--- just trying to make that clear to you, because you aren’t listening!” She was struggling to get the words out, and he didn’t understand why. He didn’t care, as the hurt her words were causing him grew.

“Elle, but…I’m just trying to help …” 

“I don’t…I don’t need your help!” Her voice broke and to his shock tears appeared in her eyes. Then more quietly. “And I don’t want to hurt you. Just go!”  
Eleni turned away from Matthew, and he realized she wasn’t just hurting him: she was hurting herself as well. 

He moved around her so they were facing each other. Her head was bent. 

“Elle, I don’t want Bright. I want you.” He said it softly, willing her to understand. Willing her to accept him. 

She looked up, taken off guard by his earnest plea. He cupped her face in his hands, brought his face down to hers and kissed her. 

It lasted, though she didn’t kiss him back, and for a moment he thought he had gotten through to her. He pulled back slightly, moving to put his arms around her, but Eleni stepped away, shaking her head.

“Matthew, I told you, I love someone else.” The truth of the statement made Matthew wince, but didn’t dissuade him.

“He’s not here, Elle. Maybe trying with someone new would help you move on.” He tried to step closer again, but panic suddenly rose up in Eleni. A desperate look entered her eyes.

“Matthew, we can’t. I can’t.”

“But—”  
_“It’s impossible!”_ She yelled, stepping back and sweeping her arms down in a violent motion. 

Astounded, Matthew didn’t do anything for a moment. Then he inadvertently rocked back on his feet, as her conviction hit him. She believed those words completely. 

The hurt he had felt before assailed him anew as his heart broke. Eleni looked at him fiercely defiant, her jaw clenched.

“I think you should go.” She said. She was rigidly controlled now though hurt and anger sparked through the bond. He nodded distantly, and turned slowly to the door. He looked back once as he left the house, but Eleni remained unchanged. Not the slightest sign of regret or compassion on her face. He left.

Matthew walked home in a daze. _It’s impossible._ The words echoed in his head. He started to realize that they didn’t make sense. Why were they impossible? Then thoughts of how deeply Eleni believed that made him give up in trying to find a logical answer.

Why had he said he wanted her? Why had he kissed her? In his effort to redirect his thoughts, he blamed himself for yet another disaster. He had thought he sensed something from her, that there had been an opening. He had obviously been wrong.

Reaching his house, he sidestepped the conversation his father tried to start, wanting to retreat to his room. As he turned to go, however, he asked Adam to tell Madam P and Eleni that he wouldn’t be by in the morning to walk with her to school, as he’d been doing. He recalled her mentioning that it was reinforcing the image that they were a couple. 

As he walked up the stairs, he realized he would also stop having dinner at Madam P’s. Eleni had been concerned about that, as well. The least he could do after the events of today was give her the space she had been asking him for all along. 

Reaching his room, he sat on his bed and took his shoes off, throwing them across the room. Then he lowered his head into his hands, gripping his hair tightly, and stared at the floor. The numbness started to fade, and hurt pulsed at him. He wouldn’t cry though. She had never been his to lose. There was no need for tears. He determinedly ignored the wetness dripping from his eyes.

**EBONY**

Ebony Darkholme surveyed the two people sitting at the table she was approaching. Travis Lensher and this Eleni Jones. She knew the former well, but didn’t know what to make of the latter. Travis’ involvement with the sewer rat had put a slight kink in her image – one of her friends going a bit further off the straight-and-narrow made people ask what she thought of it. 

Now that this Eleni had been around for some time, however, added to the fact that Matthew Summers had apparently lost interest in her, expressing a bit curiosity in her would be forgivable. 

Ebony placed her tray on the table. The two looked up at her in surprise. Travis smiled.

“Ebony! It’s been a while. Glad to have you back!” She returned his smile. She genuinely liked Travis. While many found him to be aloof, Ebony had discovered that he was something of an open book. And he was a Lensher.  
As she sat, she turned her eyes to the woman at the table.

Eleni returned her gaze, flat stare for flat stare. Ebony distanced herself from her annoyance. This woman was a mystery, and Ebony couldn’t stand that. So, she was going to figure her out. It was a project. Giving the woman a smile, no warmth, she dug in.

“Missing Matthew yet? I hear he’s back to having fun with his friends again.”

“Good for him.” The woman’s face didn’t betray anything.

“Really? After how close you two were that is hard to believe. Matthew was never that attentive to Jenna.” She said this casually. It was a true statement based on the little that Ebony had observed. Matthew and Jenna had been more physically expressive with each other, but the man had looked at Eleni with an intensity that almost seemed out of character for the normally easy-going telepath. Ebony watched Eleni closely. 

Was there a flicker of something in those blue eyes? If there had been, it was gone before Ebony could discern its meaning. She cursed internally as the woman kept her pinned with a stare, finishing her drink in her own sweet time. Ebony began on her lunch as if it didn’t matter. Eleni finally lowered the cup, and spoke.

“I told him it was impossible.” Her voice was devoid of emotion. Ebony paused, just for a moment, focusing all her attention on the other woman. Nothing. She had returned to eating her meal as if they were discussing the weather. 

Impossible? What was impossible? And who said something like that anyway? Nonetheless, Ebony granted her adversary a point of intelligence, because apparently she did understand the situation she had put herself in. Ebony also experienced a slight pang of sympathy for Summers. Travis voiced it out loud as usual.

“Elle. Um ouch? That was a bit harsh, no? The guy’s not bad to look at after all.” He stopped as Eleni turned her gaze on him, then mumbled something about it being none of his business and bent to take another bite of his food. Eleni spoke again.

“Travis, your friend seems to have some interest in Matthew. She should come with you to the dance studio sometime.” The tone was even, the expression disinterested at best as if it was a casual suggestion. Ebony ignored a small stab of jealously at her opponent’s control, and spoke.

“Me and Moody Matthew?” She dismissed the idea with a wave and a laugh. “Hardly. With all those emotions he’s got simmering under the surface there, it would be exhausting. Like having a new puppy around. All the time.” 

She didn’t have anything against Matthew Summers. Sure, he was nice to look at, and he was totally sexy, but he had always come across as high-maintenance. 

Travis appreciated the quip, and snorted into his drink. Wiping himself with a napkin, he elaborated more than Ebony wished he would.

“You’ve got it wrong there, Elle. Ebony is going to catch herself The Leader. ‘Someone who is passionate about their cause, and can rally people to them with mere words and presence of personality.’” He spoke as if he quoted, and Ebony internally bristled at the intended tease. “Perhaps it’s Craig.” He wiggled his eyebrows at Ebony. She rolled her eyes, not yet ready to reveal the promising progress of that project.

“Good luck with that.” Eleni murmured disinterestedly, and Ebony inwardly cursed Travis for running off his mouth.

“What about you and Alant? You could have been his ‘leader’.” She returned sharply, and was rewarded with a warning glare. She didn’t give Travis the Cultist crap that some of their friends did, but she wasn’t above irritating him when he deserved it. Anyway, he had never been open about what had happened there, and her curiosity was sore.

“Regardless, Elle, if you know anyone like that, be sure to send them in Ebony’s direction.” Travis finished, his eyes wide with sarcastic significance, which he followed with a pointed look at Ebony. She didn’t take another shot, deciding that the smile of toleration Eleni graced him with was satisfying enough.

The feeling was short lived, however, as the woman disengaged herself, and returned to eating her meal as if it were all beneath her. Ebony felt as if she had been dismissed, and she didn’t like it. How did the woman do that?

That was the mystery of Eleni Jones. Over the weeks that Ebony had watched the young dancer, she had been repeatedly struck, she wouldn’t go so far as to say impressed, with how Eleni took the abuse their classmates heaped upon her, and kept walking with quiet dignity. Like a queen. It was like she had everything that mattered, and you had no idea what that was. Ebony knew that most of her classmates felt this without understanding it. It made them hate the sewer rat even more.

**CITADEL 3020.10.08**

**DAVE**

“I hope you don’t mind that we reached out to you the way we did, but uh, we heard in the Network that someone is interested in…organizing. Trying to change things. We thought that might be you.” Dave Kelly blinked. They were right, of course. He just hadn’t expected anyone would be so bold as to contact him about it.

He was again at the apartment of the young couple he had met during the summer; the first family he had met to have lost a mutant child. They had sent a note to him via his father’s office. While it was rather unusual now, it was not completely unheard of: only a couple of years ago he had received a substantial bit of mail that way. His home addresses thankfully remained relatively unknown. The Citadel had strict rules about what information could be shared or published, and violation brought steep fines, even imprisonment.

“It is me. I didn’t mention it the first time because…I was still putting my ideas together, and wanted to get a feel for what people might be able to support.” The young couple was nodding.

“We appreciate that.” They were far more relaxed this time, a fact that Dave found heartening. “We would like to be part of it. We want to know if things are happening. How are you spreading information?” Dave had only just started thinking of these details, and didn’t have an answer.

“I have your contact information, and others as well of course. Once things are a bit more organized, I’ll reach out to you.” They nodded. He thought they seemed almost eager.

As he got up to leave so the couple could finish eating, they were meeting over the lunch hour, the wife pulled a ball of cloth out from behind a pillow. She blushed as she unfolded it to reveal a shirt with a familiar design on the front. A sun described as a circle surrounded by a border of serrated edges that radiated out into eight points. The points were longer on the four main axes. 

Dave had to clench his teeth to stop himself from reacting. Then he pasted on a smile that was usually a combination of charm and bashfulness. By her reaction, he got it right.

“I had to show you this. It was all the rage that year! And you still wear that earring!” She actually laughed. “It’s just that, with famous people you never know. Is it all an act, or are they really who they appear to be? But having met you in person and knowing what you want to do, you feel authentic. And…well, right now I find more hope in this,” she shook the shirt, but Dave understood she was referring to his quiet campaign, “than in the Blessing of the Mother.” The husband looked slightly alarmed.

“Dear, you don’t mean that!” Her eyes flickered to the man, then back to Dave, and he saw a hollowness there he didn’t understand.

“Well, it is an inspiration.” She amended slightly. She forced a smile. “We’re glad to know you and to have you on our side.” At that her husband smiled, and nodded his agreement.

“Thank you.” Dave said sincerely, and he turned into the short hallway to the exit. As the door closed behind him, he let his face fall, and remembered where his famous earring had originated.

_“Mom, wait here. I just left something upstairs!” Dave hoped his mother would stay put as he dashed to the elevator. The last thing he wanted was for her to come upstairs and see Eleni or her mother._

_Impatiently pressing the ‘close door’ button, he breathed a sigh of relief as he was sealed, alone, into the mechanical box. His mother’s presence would have also made it difficult to complete his true aim this night._

_Taking advantage of the privacy, he pulled the button-down shirt, and corresponding undershirt, away from his sweaty skin. Summer lasted from May until September in the Citadel, and it was a hot, humid June day. He didn’t normally wear such formal clothing outside of school, but tonight was a family dinner out on the town and proper etiquette was required._

_Reaching the 22nd floor, he started to stride through the desks, intent upon his destination. _

_“There’s the man!”_

_“Happy Birthday, Dave!”_

_He checked himself, realizing his focus could come across as strange. Slowing, he smiled to his father’s staff._

_“16! I can’t believe it.” Juana exclaimed. “If feels like you should still be running around my desk, like the aggravating little imp you were!” Dave smiled embarrassedly at the comment, but the woman’s return smile was only fond and teasing. His father’s staff were extremely loyal, and most had stayed in his service for years._

_A hand clapped on his shoulder, and Dave turned to see Christian, one of the newest members of the team. The young man was fresh out of university, and only a handful of years older than Dave._

_“So, any plans?” He said conspiratorially. Dave looked at the man in exasperation._

_“Dinner with my parents? What else is there?” He wouldn’t be able to vote until he was 18, and drinking was technically forbidden until 20, though, some of Dave’s friends had ways to get around that._

_“You elite babies have no fun.” Christian replied mockingly. The man had come from a more plebian background, but had passed the exams to qualify for the law program, eventually landing him work in politics. _

_Then he whispered, “I’ll see what I can do for you.” _

_Slapping Dave’s shoulder again, he walked on. Dave doubted anything would come from it, but found the man’s confidence and big brotherly attitude amusing. He continued on his way._

_Eleni was dancing, but spotted him as soon as he entered the conference room. She had asked him to come this night. As his birthday this year fell the evening before a Rest Day, his parents had scheduled a formal dinner to celebrate the event on the actual day. The timing was ideal: with his father’s upcoming bid for re-election, a few pictures in the paper of them looking like a happy family wouldn’t hurt. The campaign season would start in August._

_As he approached the table where they usually sat, Eleni finished and came over. She smiled a greeting as she dug into her school bag. She knew he didn’t have a lot of time._

_“Happy Birthday.” She whispered, pushing a small, soft bag into his hand._

_“Can I open it?” He whispered back, looking to the door to see if anyone was passing in the hall. She shook her head._

_“Later, but I wanted you to have it today.” She smiled, though it turned sad and he knew she wished she could be with him more to celebrate. So did he. _

_In these past 9 months since they had gotten back together, more so than before, he had felt frustration at what they couldn’t do together. They didn’t talk about the situation, but he sometimes tried to find other ways to bring a bit more happiness to the life Eleni led. He pointed out ballets and art shows to his Dad, and the man usually purchased tickets for Eleni and her mother. _

_At one point he had started bringing Eleni things she wouldn’t be able to afford. She had given them back, however. He hadn’t completely understood why, but had seen that that it bothered her and stopped. Thankfully, she had kept the earrings he got her for her 15th birthday. They were silver, with delicate dangling filaments that fell in shining curtains. _

_He took a deep breath, and forced a smile._

_“Thanks!” He said, possibly a bit loudly. It wouldn’t hurt for anyone to hear the casual, friendly tone._

_“Have fun!” She returned, the sadness disappearing as if it had never been there._

_"Dave, we have to go!” His father called out as he strode down the hall. They left._

_At the restaurant, the bag Eleni had given him was constantly on his mind as he ended up playing meet and greet with many of his parent’s peers. It seemed like everyone there came over to talk to them. He barely had time to eat._

_“Dad, what’s up with these people?” He demanded in a quiet aside to the man. His father looked amused._

_“Dave, you’re 16, on the edge of adulthood, good-looking, and already standing out in school.” This past year he had been student council treasurer, and one of the top players on the lacrosse team, “and you are in the public eye anyway. They are curious about you, and what you’ll do. What you’ll become.” His father’s face turned serious. “Just be yourself. Being something that you are not to make others happy is difficult to sustain and no way to live.” He squeezed his son’s shoulder. “We’ll talk more about it later.”_

_An older woman with grey hair came over. “Dave, this is Harriet Kline. She has been a bit of a mentor to me.” The man smiled at the new arrival and greeted her. Her brown well-fleshed face wreathed in wrinkles as she returned the gesture. _

_While he hadn’t met her before, Dave was familiar with the woman. Like his father, she was a senator on the highest governing body in the Citadel. She was one of only 5 female senators. There were 20 seats in total.  
Harriet turned her attention to Dave._

_“Your father has mentioned that you share his interest in politics.”_

_“I do, ma’am. I’m going to run for student council president this coming fall.” She nodded and smiled indulgently._

_“Has some lucky girl snapped you up yet?” Dave ducked his head, embarrassed, and thought of Eleni._

_“No. I’ve been too busy with other things.” The woman watched him as he responded. Her eyebrows arched, and she looked at him as if they shared a secret._

_“Is that so? Well, it won’t be long before someone does.” She winked at him, and turned back to his father._

_“Robert, I heard that Rick Kaldwell was seen having lunch with Danel Quine. The conversation was said to be intense.” Robert grimaced._

_“That’s nothing new. They are always working on bringing people to their side. But, I think the citizens appreciate their freedoms too much to allow the military free reign again.”_

_“Perhaps…but let’s keep an eye on that. The Green party is too flighty for my tastes, and if Kaldwell and his colleagues should start to succeed in swaying people to their side, it won’t take much to tip the balance. How is your campaign preparation coming?”_

_Dave listened with half an ear as he surveyed the room. Harriet’s comment lingered in his thoughts. She hadn’t been the first to inquire about a girlfriend that evening. It was a normal thing to expect at his age. Dave sighed._

_He glanced over as his mother joined his father to greet with Harriet. Robert put a casual arm around his wife’s waist, and for a moment they looked the perfect couple no matter the reality. Dave looked away, and Eleni’s present burned a hole in his pocket._

_Later, in his room, he finally opened the precious package. As he upturned the bag, a small box fell out into his hand and within that was a single earring. It was aged-bronze in color and the shape of a sun with serrated edges. Eleni had always resisted his attempts to convince her to do an extracurricular, but this past winter she had finally given in and signed up for a jewelry making class. Now he knew why._

_He felt like his heart would burst with happiness as he took off the non-descript earring he had been wearing, and carefully inserted Eleni’s gift into his ear. He promised himself he’d never take it off._

Dave brushed away tears in the foyer of the building before exiting. He had kept that promise, though he had failed Eleni in other ways. A stray thought that his priorities had been terribly out of order sent him into a dismal state.

He left the building.

In an attempt to dispel his self-recrimination, he turned his mind to an issue he had to deal with.

_“Do you really need more names? You’ve met 10 families. If this is to help you get through your grief and it’s not working, then Dave I don’t know that anymore will help.”_

Kurt was increasingly pushing back on Dave, and this time had been his strongest try so far. Dave didn’t want to let on about his true plans

_“I’ll think about it. Speaking with these people, it’s eye opening,"_ was all he’d said in response. _“I’ll need to meet you again in three weeks.”_

Dave reviewed the conversation with Kurt. The young man hadn’t reminded his informant of the consequences should he fail to provide the requested information; he’d rather avoid that if he could. Dave considered a few tactics he could take, but was unable to come up with anything he felt would work. He reluctantly came to the conclusion that he would have to threaten Kurt again. Unhappy with that, Dave cast about for a different problem to distract him.

Lost in thought, he nearly ran into the person in front of him. They had stopped walking to watch something on the sidewalk. Dave jerked back in irritation, then he heard a familiar litany. His stomach turned.

“…and all else is filth. Renounce your sin and proclaim with me, ‘We seek only His forgiveness!’” With disgust, Dave realized the person standing in front of him had reverently echoed the words of the sidewalk priest from Church of the Human Christ. A crowd had gathered around the proselytizing man. 

Behind the priest, several youths of an age with Dave, stood in a line, their hands clasped in behind them. Many wore dark leather coats; metal detailing in the form of studs, chains and even spikes, was prevalent on all the outfits. Several wore a small pin, a full-face helmet of red and gold with rectangular eye slits. Though the hero who had worn the helm had died before the creation of the Citadel, the fact that he wore an “iron” suit made him a symbolic slap in the face to a magnetist, the most feared of mutants. Dave had seen the actual helm at a house belonging to his mother’s relatives; she was a Stark by blood. 

The young men wore the metal and the pin as evidence that they had no fear of the Father of the Demonspawn. Similar gangs of Humanists, whom often matriculated into the military, were known for prowling the city and harassing anyone who fell outside the norm. Their supporters professed that they never did any real harm, and were exercising their right to self-expression. As a result, their activities were rarely censured, even when they were devastating. Dave felt his hands ball into fists and looked away.

“The curse of the mutants continues, and we must only look into our own hearts to find its roots!”

Dave didn’t think he could bear to hear or see anymore, and instead of going around the growing group, he abruptly turned back the way he had come intending to round the buildings through an alley and reach the station that way. That plan was forgotten as he spotted a familiar face just feet behind him. 

His body went cold, though his mind rapidly assessed that this meeting could easily have been a coincidence. For the second time. He was in Bloc 7 again today. Sanida spoke first.

“What brings you to this part of town again, Dave?” He shrugged.

“Errands.” She stared at him levelly.

“Errands,” she repeated, as if it were a quaint story, and one she clearly didn’t buy.

Behind him, the words of the priest boomed, grating on Dave’s ears.

“Nice seeing you, Sanida, but I’m looking to go somewhere a bit quieter.” He started to walk past his classmate, but she turned and fell into step beside him.

“I thought you enjoyed the dulcet tones of Humanist threats and promises of doom.” Came the snide return, “But it just happens I know somewhere quiet. This way.” 

“Look, I really don’t have time.”

“Really? You know, I’ve seen you here 3 times in the past three months, and I’ve never seen you here prior to that.” Dave cringed. 5 of the families he’d seen had been from Bloc 7. “I want to know what you are up to, and you are going to tell me or I’m going spread the word in this area that you are not what you seem and shouldn’t be trusted. I have a lot of family here, and people trust me.” Dave thought of the young couple he just met. He didn’t want to lose that support. But talking further to Sanida would be pointless; he couldn’t tell her about his plans. He thought up a neat lie.

“Look, Sanida, I’ve been working on a project for class here, that is all.”

“Since the summer?” Damn. 

“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while.”

“Really? At the end of school last spring, you didn’t seem to be thinking about getting into research projects ahead of time.” Dave gritted his teeth. “What’s the topic?” 

“It’s about how the city charter affects the daily lives of citizens. I’m interviewing people.” That was a good explanation. “I have to go. See you in class.” He started to turn away.

“Ever heard of the Network?” Dave froze and looked back in surprise, then wished he had kept walking. Sanida’s eyes narrowed. “You_ do_ know it.” She said. “I’ve heard there is someone talking to the families…is that you?”

Dave looked around, thinking fast. How did she know about the Network? Even bringing it up was risky. 

As he assessed the risk of his current situation, it occurred to him she must have done the same. If she was willing to risk bringing up the Network, she could be a potential ally. At the least, he had to know what she was about and whether she was a threat to his goals.

“You said you know somewhere quiet.” She nodded, and led the way.

A short while later, they were seated at a small eating establishment, where Sanida ordered two teas for them. She seemed familiar with the people who ran the shop. While they waited for their tea, she observed him for a moment.

“So, you going to tell me?”

“How do you know about the Network?” he countered. Sanida fell silent, evaluating.

“My brother was a mutant.” Dave took in a deep breath.

“I didn’t know.”

“Of course not!” Sanida exclaimed condescendingly. Then she continued with the story. “He was older than me. It happened when he was 13, I was only 10. But we were close.”

“I remember…an accident.” Just vaguely he could recall a news story. Sanida nodded, but her eyes went hard.

“A lie. Given that we are somewhat visible, there had to be an acceptable explanation.” Sanida’s family was in the real estate business, one of the families who led projects in the constant rebuilding of parts of the city. Until 40 years ago, most of that rebuilding had been necessary due to damage caused by mutants who had slipped past the city’s comprehensive screenings. Since that time, the rebuilding had brought the city to its current glory as block by block centuries old sections were demolished and rebuilt anew. He recalled that her family had rebuilt the entirety of Bloc 8 a decade ago, though in spite of the renewal, no one lived there as of yet.

“You come here often?” He said, not yet ready to show his hand. Sanida looked mildly annoyed, but answered. 

“As I said, I have family here. And, Natal and I, both attend the temple here.” 

“The Hindu one?”

Sanida nodded.

“I’ve just given you information that can damn me, Kelly. Please don’t prove yourself to be an asshole just when I thought my initial impression that you were decent was correct. You did go off the deep end for a while there.”

Dave took a deep breath. He hadn’t spoken this to anyone, only hinted at it.

“My sister was a mutant.” Sanida sat back.

“Oh. So the rumors were true.” Dave noticed an odd mix of emotion on her face. 

“For a moment there, I thought you might be sympathetic to their plight.” He mumbled dismissively, wondering just how dangerous it was that Sanida knew he was talking to families in the Network.

“I am! And to the families who have lost them!” Sanida looked to the side. Then he understood.

“She was a person like you or me.” He sneered at the irony of the situation. Sanida was torn: on the one hand she had sympathy for the fact that Eleni had been a mutant and killed for it; on the other, it seemed she shared the widespread opinion that Eleni should never have been born for other reasons. Sanida’s sympathy was restrained as a result.

His fellow law student changed the subject.

“Natal is sympathetic, too. I told him about Keshiv.” She looked at Dave, her composure regained. “Is it true you are considering a petition for mutant amnesty?” Dave was alarmed that she had heard about that.  
“What are you talking about?”

“Look. People here trust me. I helped some of these families out after their loss. It helps me as well. They aren’t talking about it to just anyone.”

Dave breathed in to calm himself, then answered.

“Yes. If there is enough support.” Sanida took in a deep breath. He continued. “There is a law allowing a population wide referendum.”

“That’s centuries old!” 

“But it’s on the books.” Sanida looked dubious, but intrigued. Dave leaned in. “Sanida, I believe there is a chance it can happen. And if that chance exists, we should take it.”

She stared at him for a long moment.

“You’re crazy.” He smiled slightly, inwardly willing her to see that he was earnest and clear-of-thought. Her mouth twisted hesitantly, and then she laughed, nervously, but she was nodding at the same time. “OK. Tell me more.”


	17. Chapter 16

**ELENI**

“It’s ok, Elle.” Bright said. “I knew it was a long shot, but I genuinely am glad I had the opportunity to talk to him. To tell him how I feel.” Eleni glanced at Bright who was sitting next to her in the supply room at the Tower. Her friend’s response didn’t assuage her feelings of guilt, but she didn’t press the subject further than her apology. 

“OK.” She said quietly. She had told Madam P that she missed her friends DownMountain, and the woman had allowed her to skip a day of ballet. The afternoon was almost over, and Eleni had been glad to catch a moment alone with Bright as they were cleaning up.

“Elle,” Bright asked after a moment, “can I ask you something personal?”

“I don’t promise to answer, but sure.” Eleni hoped the topic would return to their casual conversations, like how the dark-skinned non-binary did their hair in tight braids across their skull, or what the latest dance craze in the DownMountain was.

“Are you a lesbian?” 

“What?” Eleni laughed off her shock. “No.” 

“Then, why don’t you want Matthew? I mean, even if you only feel friendship, it doesn’t hurt to give the relationship a try.”

“I just don’t want to be with anyone right now.” She hadn’t told Bright, or anyone, about what had passed between herself and Matthew. There had been no visits from the Tower group to the dance studio in the past week, so none of them would suspect that she had come down to avoid seeing Matthew. She had claimed it was nostalgia that had brought her back down today. The group had gotten a good laugh out of that, but also seemed pleased.

Eleni glanced to the side as Scarlet and Patches enter the room and started putting away materials. The man tried to catch her eye, but she looked quickly back at Bright. She surmised that the last activity was finished, and the kids were probably straggling out of the Towers. G and Tray had gone to Katya’s Locker, and Hulio was UpMountain at the recording studio. Eleni would have to leave soon to get back for dinner. She had enjoyed the visit.

Bright spoke again, and it turned out their comments had been leading up to something.

“It’s just, seeing him at the dance school, he still laughs and jokes with them, the UpMountain people, sometimes. I feel like it is only a matter of time before they pull him back in.” Bright looked directly at Eleni. “It wouldn’t hurt, just to try, would it?” Scarlet, who was standing by a nearby shelf, overheard. She took Bright’s meaning immediately, then took it much farther.

“What’s this? Asking Eleni to sacrifice herself for the noble purpose of keeping Mattie out of their self-serving clutches?” She came over and held Eleni by her shoulders. “Yes! Eleni, you must do it! Lay yourself down on that sacrificial alter, and he will --”

“She’s made it clear she’s not interested!” Patches yelled over Scarlet’s litany. She continued as if he hadn’t spoken.

“---until you can’t see straight. By the end you’ll feel—"

“Um, Scar, you know G doesn’t like that kind of talk when kids could still be here.” Bright chimed in.

“—and wonder at the meaning of life without Matthew Summers in it.” She looked at Bright, but didn’t release Eleni. “I just locked the doors. The kids are gone. Anyway, that wasn’t so bad. Don’t want to scare Elle here away just yet.” She leaned in closer to Eleni and whispered, “If I didn’t have a girlfriend right now, I would happily demonstrate what you are missing with Matthew.” The woman winked as she walked away.

“Uh, I need to get back for dinner.” Eleni said as she stood, her face flaming. Bright tried to cover their smile with their hand, but their eyes danced and they just waved their goodbye.

“I’ll walk you to the train. Just let me put these things away!” Patches said, hurriedly trying to stuff supplies into boxes, and dropping some in the process.

“Sorry, Patches, I can’t wait. Madam P is very strict. I’ll catch you next time!” She called out as she moved towards the door. Once outside, and out of view, she broke into a slow run.

Slowing down after a minute, she reflected that it was good to be back DownMountain. It was comfortable in a way the UpMountain was not. She had decided she would spend a day DownMountain to remember her mother: the woman’s birthday was coming up soon. The exact day was lost to Eleni now; she was certain there were some subtle shifts in the calendars between the Montagne and the Citadel. Nonetheless, she and her mother had always taken great care with birthdays and Eleni wanted to memorialize the day. She considered which hiding place she would use to do so.

Three-quarters of an hour later Eleni and Madam P were sitting down to dinner.

“How were things at the Tower?”

“Good. They are all well. G and Bright say hi.” The older woman smiled fondly. Then her look turned innocent.

“Matthew asked where you were.”

“Did he?” There was nothing more to say to that. The dance teacher had made a few subtle attempts to discover what had happened between Eleni and Matthew to no avail. To Eleni’s relief, the woman did not take the issue any further than that. The two fell silent while they ate.

“Have things improved at school?” Madam P asked casually when they were close to finishing.

“They have.” It was true. Most students were happy to ignore her now, as she was no longer seen as an active threat to Matthew. The teachers were as bad as ever, and there was still the occasional prank, but overall it was easier to get through the days. There was only one type of infraction that had increased.

“I’m glad to hear that.” Madam P looked sideways at her, and seemed about to say something. Eleni was glad when she didn’t.

It turned out she was only waiting until later. After they cleared the table, Eleni wandered into Madam P’s small study to look at the books. The woman collected ancient works. Her pride and joy was a book about the United States of America, the country that had once occupied the land where the Montagne and Citadel were now found. And the Remnants, Eleni added mentally, still unaccustomed to the thought that people lived on the Wastelands.

Madam P found her looking at that book, which was stored in a glass case and open always to the same page. A large statue, a female draped in cloth and greenish with age featured prominently there. The woman held a torch high and held a book clasped to her side. Eleni had seen the image at the Citadel as well.

“They say people would cry at the sight of her, because she represented an end to their journeys and the start of a new life.” The dance teacher came up beside her. “They would change their name, it was such a monumental occasion for them.” 

Eleni nodded at the woman’s romanticism, but internally wondered if perhaps they changed their names because their lives had been so altered that they could no longer go on living as the person they had been. 

Madam P continued as she stared at the book in front of them.

“Eleni, I don’t pretend to understand what you are going through. I know I can’t. But I do care, and I would do more if I could.” Eleni looked up in surprise. She had not expected this. The older woman smiled slightly at her reaction. “You must wonder why I took you in, why I don’t subscribe to the same beliefs as the rest of them. Even with your ability in ballet.” 

The thought had crossed her mind. She knew Madam P was serious in her dedication to the art, but even with that she treated Eleni with an evenness that the young woman had found a surprise and relief.

“You have been very good to me.” She said, simply stating the truth. Madam P smiled sadly.

“I might not understand, but I do have a point of reference. My own daughter had to come to terms with first the subtle disdain of the UpMountain at her origin, and then, in the end, their complete rejection.” Madam P walked around the pedestal in front of them. Eleni held her tongue, understanding from Matthew’s warning that this was a sensitive topic. She wouldn’t ask, but she wondered what had made the mutants of the Montagne reject one of their own. “That was a terrible time. And I realized I would have reacted the same as everyone else before Katyana had become part of my heart.” The woman’s voice broke, and unexpectedly Eleni felt her own sadness rising up. Sadness about so many things, past and present. She cursed her own traitorous heart. 

Madam P glanced at the younger woman’s face with sympathy in her eyes, then she walked back over to embrace Eleni. “So, I am here for you, as much as I can be. I hope that that, at least, makes things more bearable for you.”

Eleni didn’t let the wetness in her eyes escape, but she did return the hug. She thought of the promises she had made to this woman, and knew she would try her best to keep them.

**MATTHEW**

“Elle’s not here, today.” 

“I know.” G replied. “Scarlet probably has her teaching some classes now. Patches is probably assisting.” The latter he said in an unamused tone. Matthew put that piece of information out of his mind. 

They were sitting in the audience of the dance school auditorium while Matthew took a break from dancing. Or, more accurately, waited until he was missed and ordered back to the stage or the studio.   
“She’s not the only reason I come you know.” G finished.

Matthew looked at his friend and nodded, a feeling of gladness relaxing his stomach.

“Mattie. I know it hurts now, but…it’s probably for the best.” Matthew wondered what exactly G knew, but didn’t extrapolate for his friend.

“I don’t really want to talk about it.” G ignored him.

“Travis mentioned that it is making things easier for her at school.” Matthew looked sharply at his friend. 

“Really? Because…” He started to understand. Because they don’t think we’re together. “Why didn’t she tell me people were picking on her for that?” He said, unpleasant emotions again curdling his stomach. G shrugged and looked at him sympathetically.

“If there is one thing I am confident of, it is that I have no idea of what is going on inside my little sister’s head. But, it was pretty obvious she had a better handle the situation than you did.” Matthew looked straight ahead. G might have come up here to see him, but his friend’s comments weren’t helping. 

The man softened his tone a bit. “Mattie, like I said, I think this is for the best. I mean,” he sighed in frustration, “it’s even worse than I thought. What Jae and those cadets did…that was sick.” 

Matthew’s spirits fell even further at that memory. If he hadn’t insisted on staying close to her when he could, then maybe they wouldn’t have targeted her. He hated feeling this way.

“I only wanted to help her.”

“I know. And you did. You got through to her when no one else could.”

That was true. 

“I did help her.” Matthew declared, edged with anger. It was good to move his guilt aside. “I made all this possible!” He spread his arms wide.

Now G’s expression turned dubious. “Now you are getting ahead of yourself. You were the one who convinced Madam P to take her on?” He shrugged deeper into his seat, glancing sideways at his friend. “Didn’t think you had a thing for older women, but she is one fine lady.” Matthew slugged G in the arm. The other man simply grinned.

“I helped her! I did it all for her!” G’s face went flat.

“’I did it all for her!’, ‘I did it all for her!’” G mimicked the words a few times, and Matthew rolled his eyes angrily. Then G made as if he had had a sudden realization. “Ah! You mean, ‘I sacrificed so this could be hers.’ Or ‘She is ungrateful if she doesn’t appreciate what I did for her.’ Or ‘She owes me for this’.” The last had a nasty tone to it.

“What?” That hadn’t been his meaning at all.

“Oh yes.” G said, satisfied with his analysis. “And she does owe you. For all those nutrition bars you provided, for the chocolate, for getting her through the turnstile at the station, for introducing her to Madam P, and I’m sure there is other stuff. And she owes Madam P even more. How long has she been living with the woman now? Almost 2 months? Yup, she owes Madam P a lot.” G’s expression twisted. “And she hates it.”

“But, Madam P, and I, we want to help her. We don’t feel that way!”

“And yet, it is the truth.” Now his expression turned wistful, but it was an act. “I owe the Montagne for keeping my sorry ass alive. I think about that sometimes, I really do.” He nodded his head as if to himself, and then looked deeply sad before his face twisted into a bitter smile. He looked back at Matthew and pulled himself out of his reverie. “Mattie, we just ignore the inequality here. We don’t discuss it, but it is always there. So, don’t go and throw it in her face, if that is what you did.”

Matthew looked away. “That’s not what happened.” Not entirely, at least.

“Look, you’re one of the good ones. I know it. Elle knows it. If she didn’t, I don’t think she would have taken you up on your offer. And that is what it was, by the way, an offer. You offered to make this opportunity available to her. You shared your connections. It was a damn generous thing to do. But it was her choice to take you up on it, and she is the one who made it a reality. I don’t think she understood how great the inequality was, or how nasty people would be, and maybe that would have changed her decision. But there it is.” After a pause, G made a bitter addition. “If you make it into you giving her something or doing something for her that she now owes you for, which you can, it wouldn’t be a lie, just don’t expect any kind of friendship in return.”

They fell silent. Matthew wished for a moment that he had never suggested that Eleni leave the Towers. Things had been so much simpler there.

It was two weeks now since she had rejected him, and every day had been awful. He still had to stop himself from getting off at the close car station to meet her at Madam P’s or looking for her after school to walk to the dance studio together. 

At the studio, the first few days, they had done the awkward dance of trying to avoid each other. Then, one day, she had simply not come. He supposed it had made things easier, although it also made him realize he hadn’t been trying that hard to avoid her as it was the only opportunity he had to see her.

Adam had later informed him she would be going DownMountain a couple days each week to help out at the Tower. Then his father had gently suggested that Matthew take some of the other days off – days that Eleni would be at the school. Taking the message, he had betrayed his heart and agreed.

On the afternoons he didn’t have an interview at the university, his former friends, who he still wasn’t sure were really friends, were providing plenty of entertainment. He enjoyed very little of it, but hanging out with a group also made it easier to turn down the invitations for dates which had suddenly increased.

And now this conversation.

G seemed to take pity on him, and changed the topic.

“You thinking about the civil course?” That was only slightly better. Matthew shrugged himself deeper into the seat, and gave a flippant reply. 

“A bit. It is something to pass the time.” G snorted.

“That’s one way to think about it. Or, you could think of the useful things you’ll be able to do with that education.” 

Matthew breathed out in discontentment. He knew G was right, but wasn’t in the mood to talk about this.

“Mattie, you know we need all the help we can get.”

“But how much power do the administrators actually have? The Lensher’s basically rule the place, with some leeway given to the Barons. And I am not becoming a politician.”

“No, definitely not you. Might as well join the military with Jae.” Matthew glared at the joke, not finding it the least bit funny. “Administrators have more power than you realize. On the small scale, sure, but that’s what we are. The small scale.” G looked around to make sure they were alone, and lowered his voice. “You saw me talk with the guy at the passcard office. In his case it was a combination of apathy and idiocy that made him unknowingly switch the passcard of a dead person to a living, unregistered one. But he did it.”

“I don’t want to be doing something where I am constantly lying and cheating the system.” Matthew protested.

“No, I wouldn’t ask that of you. But you saw the power the man had. And there are a multitude of small things that can be changed without breaking any rules, but would still make a huge difference. I mean, just having someone who is on our side in there, someone who greats us with a smile and treats us with respect, that is a fine place to start and you are already there.” Matthew looked away at the compliment. It made him open up a bit more.

“But, G, I’m a Summers. I have the vineyard. It would be very strange if I went and started working DownMountain.”

“Yeah, strange like throwing over your rich lifestyle and gaming in the gutters?” Matthew grunted unhappily. “They’ll get used to it after a while. And I told you, you wouldn’t give up your entire life up here. You’d commute down like the rest of them.” G looked at Matthew out of the corner. “Maybe you’ll even meet a nice woman up here and settle down. Or man. Travis says there are some decent ones, but they tend to lie low.” G raised his eyebrows as if Matthew hadn’t considered the option. Matthew gave a weak smile.

“I’ll keep thinking about the civil course.” He got up to return to dancing, and saw the young man they had just been talking about coming down the aisle.

He rounded on G for a moment before Travis got close. “And don’t you even think about trying to set me up with someone.” G’s held his hands up in surrender to Matthew’s mock anger.

“Hi Matt.” Travis said casually. 

“Lord Travis.” He returned. 

“It’s just “Travis” here.” The younger man corrected him, as he pushed into the seats to sit beside G. Matthew considered them for a moment, then left to dance.

At lunch a couple of days later, Matthew was sitting with Craig and Calen discussing the progress of the school’s football team. 

“We are going to slam the Institute. We got a great team this year.” The season was just getting started. Craig was the quarterback of the Hell Hounds, the school team. He strapped his wings down to play.

“I don’t know. The Shaw Institute team is pretty good. They won against Frost Academy last week.” Calen countered.

“Yeah, but we got Pryde!” Craig returned, with the overused pun.

The two other men groaned, and the topic was dropped. Then Matthew wished it wasn’t.

“So, Mattie. When you going to start spreading your love around again? Everyone’s holding their breath for you, and I can’t get any dates.” Calen complained. Matthew rolled his eyes.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. Look at Craig here, scoring the queen of the lower school.” Craig had actively pursued Ebony Darkholme and been rewarded for his efforts. “You’re just not trying hard enough.” Calen gave Matthew an irritated look.

“What did that slip have that’s keeping you from enjoying yourself?” Matthew clenched his teeth. “Maybe I’ll see for myself.”

“Leave her alone.” Matthew snapped, glaring at the man. Exchanges like this had happened several times with other peers, and he was disgusted by their less than savory intentions. Matthew was confident that his anger, and the memory of what he had done to the cadets, was enough of a deterrent. He also tried to be confident that Eleni would have no interest in any of his peers.

Craig tried another change in subject.

“So, this Holday the party is at the Cassidy’s.” He gave Matthew a pointed look. “You should go! Get out some.”

“We’ll see.” Was all he said.

His bad mood followed him to the dance studio, where he hoped he would manage to overlap with Eleni. No luck. He pushed down his disappointment.

As he entered the studio, Jenna came over. He braced himself, but she surprised him. 

“Hi Mattie.” She said, almost tentatively. She looked around, and then back to him. “How are you doing?” She seemed subdued.

“Um…fine.” He wasn’t, but there was no need to share that with her. She looked at him, and he became uncomfortable under her scrutiny. “I need to warm-up.”

“Mattie,” she said suddenly, “I meant what I said at the school. I’m sorry. And…I can see that you are sad.” She looked sad herself for a moment. “I just want you to know that I am here for you, if you want to talk. Just talk.”

“Um…thanks, Jenna.” He said, not knowing what to make of her comment. He turned away to go stretch as Cordelia and Alicia entered the room.

The next Holday found Matthew at the Cassidy party, trying to distract himself by any means necessary. Thoughts of Eleni and how much he missed her were still constant. 

As he sipped his drink, a fermented beverage, he surveyed the party in front of him. At least, what he could see of it; it was spread throughout the entire house as usual. The parents were away, probably at the remote spa, which people usually reached via portal. The Cassidy’s were well connected and wealthy: there were only three mutants in the Montagne who could open portals at the moment. 

Matthew was in the living room, with the crowds, and purposefully so. Earlier, he had made his way down a back hall to get a drink, and been waylaid by Donal Dawson looking for some action. It was the sort of thing the old Matthew would have entertained to an extent, but while he had made out with the guy for a minute, he had extricated himself as soon he had felt it wouldn’t be awkward.

There was no lack of entertainment in front of him, however. Here in the living room there was a lot to watch. He reflected that once it had been him that people watched at these parties. Now, Dwayne, from the dance studio, was trying jump from the coffee table and touch the elaborate light piece hanging from the ceiling. The teenagers seated on the surrounding couches were egging him on and making bets as to his success. They all held drinks and some were smoking. It was harmless fun, he thought to himself, and tried to find some humor in it. 

“Can I sit here?” a soft voice asked. He looked up to see a young woman who looked vaguely familiar. She had bushy light brown hair, yellowish-brown skin with a slight fuzziness to it and hazel eyes. Her skin, along with some cat-likeness in her features along with her pointed ears made her mutation evident.

“Um, sure.” He shifted over a little.

“You don’t know my name, do you?” His mind was racing to find just that information.

“Do-ra?” He half guessed. She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes, but her expression was sympathetic.

“Doreel.” She corrected him. “Doreel Cassidy.” Ah, the host probably. The Cassidy’s had strong military ties and were Loyalists. The information came to mind automatically. 

“Doreel. We have a couple classes together.” She nodded. 

“History and Physics.” He mentally placed her in those classes. “What do you think of Pryde in physics?” Matthew winced then pretended to clear his face as if he had made no reaction. Doreel suppressed a laugh, and nodded.  
“Just because your family founded the school, doesn’t mean you can teach.” She muttered. Matthew agreed wholeheartedly. 

They fell into a comfortable conversation about school which was interrupted by a crash a few minutes later as Dwayne tried for the last time to reach the lights, and failed miserably. The man emerged uninjured, however: his skin was nearly impenetrable and provided significant protection for the rest of his body. He sat himself between two women, confidently putting an arm around each of them. The group drew Matthew and Doreel into some frivolous conversation for a while. 

“Hey, Mattie. Your sister is picking up the slack in your absence. Better get to it before she charms every female away from you!”

“She’s welcome to them.” Matthew muttered, glancing back over his shoulder to see the source of the comment.

Jae was coming down the stairs, her arm around a girl he didn’t recognize. He had heard about the reputation his sister was gaining, but hadn’t much cared. His eyes met hers briefly, then they both looked away. Matthew’s distancing from Eleni had improved their relationship only slightly. She still lived in the military dorms, and they didn’t see each other very much.

Jae went into another room, and the conversation fell back to the inconsequential.

He was actually enjoying himself, until two hands landed on his shoulders and pushed their way down, arms embracing his chest. Then a pair of lips was on his neck. The group hooted.

“Yeah, Jenna! Go get him in a room and remind him of what he’s been missing!” Matthew stood up as quickly as he could without putting Jenna off balance, and stepped away from her, holding his hands up in mock alarm. 

“Whoa, whoa. I believe the catering is in the dining room if you’re hungry.” He said casually, trying not to show his annoyance. Jenna pouted. Selene, with a wicked smile on her face, was coming up behind her along with Alicia. 

“Mattie, really. I promise I’ll be gentle.” Jenna came over and linked her arm around his, all teasing and playfulness. 

“I was having lovely conversation with Doreel. I think I’ll stay.” The shy girl couldn’t suppress her smile before she ducked her head. “Maybe you should stay too? From what I recall, you’re not so familiar with conversation.” He threw the reputation she had given him back at her as he disentangled his arm from hers. Their audience loved it.

“You know that I am.” She said softly. He felt bad at the hurt that flashed in her eyes, and remembered her overture from the other day. Her behavior now didn’t make sense in light of that. Or maybe he had overreacted a bit.  
He was trying to figure out how to end the situation without being awkward when the issue was taken out of his hands.

A large woman whose eyes were vaguely snake like was suddenly at his other arm.

“Matthew, I can show you a far more interesting conversation than her. Why don’t you come with me?” Rachel Grey winked up at him. Half the crowd loved the entertainment; the other half wanted to see him back with Jenna. He chose sides, glad that Rachel had given him an out.

“That does sound…interesting. Maybe I should?”

“Oh, Jenna, you’re not going to let him get away again are you?” Someone shouted. Jenna stepped up to Rachel, who stuck out her famous tongue. Jenna’s face took on a look of concentration, and the snake-tongued woman started to lift. Rachel just smiled, then glanced at Matthew, who had backed away, and flicked her eyes towards the back. He took the hint, and sending her a mental ‘thank you’, he fled.

Once outside, on the patio behind the house, he stopped to take a breath. To his surprise, Doreel was there beside him a moment later. She handed him a drink.

“I, uh, I asked Rachel to step in if Jenna did something like that. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, I don’t. Thank you.”

“She has no right to act like she owns you. Especially after what she did.” Matthew nodded, thinking he had found another potential friend in the UpMountain. 

“You’re right. Thank you for saying it.” They were quiet for a moment. Matthew stared up; this house was grand, but the real evidence of the family’s wealth was its proximity to the edge of the mountain. A large many-paneled window was inset into the mountain side above them. The night was clear and the stars are out. It was very romantic, and several couples were taking advantage of the atmosphere along the edge of the yard.

Doreel spoke hesitantly.

“I’m glad you are back with us, Matthew. This is where you belong. You’ll be happier here.” And just like that, the innocent comment shattered his illusion and reminded him of exactly where he didn’t belong. He had come tonight to distract himself from Eleni, not to re-assimilate back into UpMountain society. But, of course that was how they would all see it. 

Craig had just come up on his left with Ebony on his arm, and suddenly thoroughly unhappy with his current situation, Matthew shoved his drink into the man’s hand. 

“Excuse me.” He said, and turned to reenter the house. Doreel followed him trying to get him to stay. He mumbled some apologies as he made his way to the front door and left.

**JAE**

“Over here, Cadet Summers.” 

Jae, who had been dwelling on her brother’s disappointing but unsurprising performance the other night at the Cassidy party, turned to attend to the request of her superior.

The senior cadet, having finished putting in a code on a keypad to the side, turned a massive wheel and the heavy painted metal door it was attached to opened a crack. Air hissed out through the narrow opening.

They were underneath the central section of the UpMountain. Jae had had no idea these tunnels below existed. They were claimed by the military, and apparently used for moving people around more efficiently. 

The chamber beyond finally pressurized, and the door swung fully open. The senior cadet pushed a button, and light flooded out the door, revealing a curved corridor, one side of which was steeply slanted inward, to the point that the base of the wall disappeared into darkness.

At her superior’s gesture, they entered together.

“What is this place, Cadet Shaw?” The older woman grimaced, but then smiled.

“The base of the Gift.”

“The Gift?” Cadet Shaw rolled her eyes at Jae’s ignorance.

“The Atrium of course. The Gift He left to see us through the long years of suffering so that we could once again reclaim our glory. Which we have.” While the sentiment was familiar to Jae, she had been to Cult events before, the reverence with which it was spoken was unusual. She nodded hesitantly. “Now, this is your assignment. We are going to circle the entire base. You have the lights and your flashlight. Look carefully for signs of corrosion, and alert me if you see anything.”

Jae blinked. “Uh, the entire base, Cadet Shaw?” The Atrium was huge. Cadet Shaw’s face took on a look of fake sympathy.

“The entire base.” She replied, parsing the words out carefully. “These are the jobs you get when you step out of line.” Her smile was far from nice. “You better get started. I’ll be here to keep you company.” The woman didn’t look so happy at that point, and Jae started to suspect that babysitting her here was some kind of punishment as well.

Jae knew why she was being punished. She had already been thoroughly questioned and then chastised for her involvement in the prank they had played on the sewer rat a few weeks back. It seemed to her that should have been the end of it, but had suffered extra training sessions and disadvantageous placement since.

She grimaced, thinking it could be worse. The senior cadet who had orchestrated the entire thing was now little more than a secretary for some obscure colonel who had been demoted to administrative work a decade ago. Sighing, she started on her task.

“What’s you power, Summers?”

“Energy blasts.” Cadet Shaw nodded. 

“Not so interesting, then.” Her tone dripped with pity. “I can fly.” Flying was highly valued in the military. “Someday I’ll be hunting Rabbits.” She added, smugly. Jae narrowed her eyes slightly, unsure as to the woman’s meaning. Deciding not to take the bait, if that is what it was, Jae went on carefully inspecting the wall.

“Cadet Shaw?”

“Yes?”

“What is inside there?” 

“It holds the entire system the sustains the gardens in the Atrium. Magento Himself left specific orders that it should never be breeched.” Jae took this in, impressed.

“It recycles the water and everything?” Another nod.

“It has to remain completely sealed to sustain the system. Care for the Atrium falls under the military’s purview.” The latter comment had a tone of tolerance, and Jae identified immediately that that was an unusual mandate for the organization. She understood why it was used as punishment for Cadets, and suspected that the military authorities were not so happy to be burdened with this task. “It is as Magneto designed and the Phoenix commanded, and we are loyal to His name.” The other cadet said this as if it were gospel. 

Jae ignored the fanaticism, and fell to wondering how long her punishments were going to last. She started to suspect that by the end, she might actually regret targeting the sewer rat. She already regretted the manner in which it had been carried out. Cadet Shaw caught on to her mood.

“You won’t be taking any unauthorized action after this. A few more of these tasks, and you’ll know your place.” Jae looked up sharply. The tone of the comment bothered her. Cadet Shaw pointed in irritation. “Well, get on with it, Summers. If you take too long, you’ll be back here every day until you learn how to be more efficient.”

**CITADEL 3020.10.18**

**DAVE**

Dave strode up the steps of the university building, nervous but hopeful. Sanida, though still harboring some cynicism, had been receptive to his ideas. She had asked for some time to think, but then had contacted him looking to meet again in private. He was on his way to the meeting right now.

Reaching the designated room, a small study room where the door could be closed for privacy, he was surprised to find that Sanida wasn’t alone. Her long-time boyfriend, Natal, was there as well.

Dave went over to greet them and shake hands. Natal had straight black hair like Sanida, but his skin was a darker hue and his eyes were so dark they were nearly black. Dave remembered him as a slightly uptight young man. They had never hung out much in school.

“Are you also at the university?” Dave asked as they sat. Natal nodded.

“Studying agriculture.” He provided. Dave thought that Natal’s family were connected to nutrition resources, so that made sense. 

Sanida came to the table after shutting the door, and started the conversation.

“I’ve told Natal everything.” Dave took a breath in. Even though the woman had mentioned Natal was sympathetic, Dave wished she had asked before bringing him in.

“When did you find out about your sister?” Natal asked him, and Dave noticed a pointed tone to the question.

“Just a couple months before she died.” He answered honestly, then swallowed at the memory. Natal narrowed his eyes, then looked back at Sanida. She nodded.

“I’ll stick around.” Natal said. Dave set aside the strange exchange to ponder later, in favor of his mild shock at how quickly things had changed.

“Wait, so, does that mean…” He looked at Sanida.

“I’m in, too. Let’s do this crazy thing.” Her jaw set, and Dave laughed out slightly in relief. “What?”

“I…it’s just nice to have someone fully on my side.” He said honestly. And it was nice that he no longer needed to rely on Kurt for more contacts. The man had only given him one at their last meeting. Dave had said nothing of Kurt to Sanida.

A small smile quirked Sanida’s lips, but then she focused, opening her laptop.

“We need to put together a concrete plan. Let’s start with your thoughts so far.”

“Um, I don’t know that it is wise to put this down anywhere.” Sanida gave him a tolerant look.

“I’m just putting the structure down, nothing about the actual goal. It’ll look like a generic plan if anyone should find it.” The government had the ability to access into anyone’s computer that was on the internet signal and delve into their files. The front line was that they only did so when there was reason for suspicion, however no one ever really forgot what they could do. 

It had occasionally been protested, but evidence, decades old now but unrefutable, of mutant plots that had been designed within the Veil usually provided ample proof of the necessity.

Dave nodded, accepting her plan.

“Well, as I am new to the Network, I was taking this time to get a sense for how people felt, and get to know them in person. Let them get to know me.” Sanida nodded, typing as she replied.

“We’ll keep doing that. But since I am already part of the Network and know a fair number of families there, that sets us ahead of where you were.” 

“Then I was hoping to plan small gatherings where people could come to ask me questions. More time to get to know me with no need of a commitment.” The keys clicked away.

“Smaller private meetings as well, I’d imagine?” Dave nodded.

“If requested.”

“You have to be careful there. No one-on-one’s.” 

“Why not?” Sometimes you needed that privacy to gain someone’s trust. And if it was a person who had wealth, power or influence, then you wanted that trust. Or, support, at least. Sanida shook her head firmly.

“We are playing with our freedom, and potentially our lives here. We have to think about situations that could expose us.” Dave saw her point, but wasn’t convinced.

“I thought the Network was trustworthy.”

“They are; they’ve suffered together and that makes them protective of each other. But they are still people in the end. And,” Sanida went on, giving Dave a look, “you are still somewhat well known, golden boy. Increasing the chance that someone could switch their loyalties for money or another incentive.” 

“Plus, you haven’t always been on our side. This isn’t just to protect you.” Natal interjected pointedly. Dave made note of the negative tone in the man’s comments, but then set the observation aside.

Dave decided reluctantly that he agreed with the points Sanida’s had made. He nodded.

“Eventually, I was hoping to work up to some kind of rally.”

Sanida paused, and took a deep breath, considering him.

“It might be better to find a way to get the proposed legislative change out there first. Anonymously. A rally is risky: you need people to go public.”

“We could do it when it is dark, to keep people safe, and make it short. It lets them know we are committed. It builds up the excitement and anticipation.” He knew that from his father’s rallies.

“And what about us? Are you thinking we’d stand up there promoting something that the majority of the city thinks will bring the world to an end?” Again reluctant, Dave saw her point.

“We could figure out some way to speak to them without being seen.” With phones now capable of taking pictures and videos, it would be that much easier to be associated with this cause prematurely, dooming their chances of success. 

Sanida nodded. “There are a lot of logistics to work out.” She grinned at Natal. “You up to the challenge?”

“You know I am.” He replied softly. Dave found the man’s attitude stuck-up.

“Natal is a genius at logistics.”

“You should have joined the student council!” Dave said, trying to make a connection. Maybe he could use his knowledge from the orchard to do so as well.

“Nah. It was more fun watching you guys pretend you were doing something useful.” Or maybe not.

“So!” Sanida stepped in as Dave started to glare. “You were thinking of running this like a campaign.”

“Yes.” Dave said succinctly, his eyes still on Natal. “It is what I know.”

“Let’s brainstorm on how to keep it quiet and safe.” They made a list of concerns and how they could be alleviated. The discussion took place mainly between Dave and Sanida, though Natal did provide some useful suggestions. For instance, he knew that there was a room in the basement of their temple where the wireless internet didn’t reach.

When Sanida excused herself for a minute to use the bathroom, Dave took the opportunity to try to sus out Natal.

“So, what sort of stuff did you do in school? Any sports?” The man shook his head. “Arts or theater?”

“Nah.” Dave wasn’t used to someone who was so reticent to talk. Natal looked bored, and he looked anywhere in the room except at Dave. It was starting to get annoying.

“You must have some interests.” Dave prompted. If there was nothing that motivated this man, Dave couldn’t see how he could be a good team member.

Natal shrugged. Then, as Dave opened his mouth again, Natal cut him off.

“Look. I’ll help you guys and I’ll keep my mouth shut. But I’m not looking to become lifetime friends or anything.”

“Did I do something to offend you?” Natal laughed dismissively as he looked away from Dave again, but didn’t say anything. Dave searched his memory for something he might have done. One thing came to mind.

“Is this about when I was interested in Sanida?”

Natal’s eyes snapped back to Dave. His hand formed a fist on the table. Dave laughed internally at how the lies of the past kept twisting their insidious way into the present.

_ Dave felt his shoulders tense as he entered his father’s office building and proceeded to the 22nd floor. The election season was in full swing, with rally’s, receptions, speeches and a host of other events dominating his father’s schedule, and his, too, to a decent extent. Family appearances were important, not to mention that Dave wanted to learn about the process as he had decided he wanted to go into politics, just like his father._

_It meant the time he had with Eleni had dwindled to twice a week on average, and they had been alone only one time since his birthday. _

_“Hi Dave. You are really stepping out this year!” Dave turned to the familiar voice and smiled at Katherine, who was walking down the hall towards his father’s office. “You keep this up and you’ll be winning his father’s seat for him.” _

_The comment made Dave slightly uncomfortable, while at the same time he acknowledged its truth. The public loved him._

_He was disappointed to find Eleni doing her homework and not dancing. He sat across from her and made a show of taking out his books as he greeted her. She looked at him, coolly, but greeted him in return._

_They worked in silence, and as the afternoon turned to evening, people began to clear out. He didn’t have much time; Eleni was likely leave soon, and he wasn’t sure when he would next be at the office. The school year had just started, and his bid for student council president on top of his appearances for his father’s campaign, was keeping his busy. _

_“Elle, we need to talk.” He whispered urgently after a few minutes._

_“Do we?” She replied, testing him. He looked away in annoyance._

_“Yes!” He hissed. “Meet me in the conference room on the far side.” With that, he collected his bag and moved location. About 10 minutes later, Eleni appeared at the door, as if she was stopping in on her way to the bathroom down the hall._

_“So, Dave, I hear you are charming the known world.” She teased him as she entered, but he knew it was all an act. “They love your earring.” _

_For a moment the mask cracked, and he saw genuine pleasure and satisfaction shine through on her face. He reached up to touch the earring. It was the midnight sun, she had told him, playing on a phrase her mother occasionally muttered. They had been fascinated with the image as kids, and had spent hours discussing what it could mean or how it could happen. Eleni had used the image as the inspiration and designed the earring from scratch._

_The press had picked up on it, and from there kids throughout the city and then designers. Shirts, bags, all sorts of items with the image on them were appearing in stores. Dave didn’t like it, but there was little he could do to stop it. The image had been eagerly co-opted as his own public image, charming, smart but not stuck-up, and serious when it mattered, took form. In terms of his future as a public figure, this was an excellent start. _

_He looked at the happiness on Eleni’s face, and held on to the truth that the earring was something secret and precious, and only between the two of them._

_“Whatever.” He said, playing the part and dismissing her tease. When she came closer, he said quietly. “They’ll never know the truth.” She looked down, and as she sat, she brushed her hand against his under the table. He grabbed if for a moment, laced their fingers together and squeezed tight, willing her to know what she meant to him. Then he released her hand and spoke quietly._

_“Elle, we need to talk about that. Everyone is asking me!” Eleni’s face closed, and she looked away, crossing her arms in front of her. _

_With dismay, he saw that she appeared to remain unbending when it came to the topic he had broached the last time they had met. That meeting had ended abruptly: he had explained the pressure he was feeling to get a girlfriend for his public image, and the fact that he had decided to do just that, though, he had emphasized, it would only be for show. Eleni had stood up and walked out without a word. _

_The memory still rankled. _

_Eleni spoke, and for a moment he thought things might just work out._

_“I’m sorry. That I walked away without talking. I won’t do it again.” Her eyes flicked to him, and he nodded his thanks._

_“Elle, I’m under a lot of pressure. They want to see me with a girl on my arm.” He breathed out in frustration. “I want to go into politics, and image matters. Everything is going so well, and this would help. And stop any rumors from starting.” Not being with a girl for too long would make people wonder. “Anyway, I wouldn’t be doing anything with her. I’d be yours in truth. Just like now.” _

_He had already started getting to know his female peers, or at least the ones who accompanied their parents to his father’s campaign events. One, Sanida Trebong, was intelligent and down-to-earth, and he had been going out of his way to make sure they met more often. _

_“I’m yours, Elle, and this way after I break up with whoever it is once we’d been together long enough, I’ll be able to focus only on you like I want to.” _

_He sighed in frustration at their situation. The secrecy, the lack of freedom. He didn’t usually dwell on it, it was so impossible, but at times it did catch up with him. He pushed those thoughts aside. “It would just be for a little while. A few months at most. If I could, I would only be with you.” He whispered. He looked at her, hopeful._

_She sat in silence for a minute after he finished, staring straight ahead._

_“No.” It came as a whisper. “I won’t be your mistress.” Dave’s anger rose in desperation._

_“Elle, you won’t be! You would be the one I’m really with—” She shook her head vehemently, decision made. She fumbled at her left wrist as she spoke._

_“Dave, it is clear that you have decided you must do this thing. But while you do it, I will not be yours.” His heart contracted as he realized she had taken off the bracelet he had given her. She thrust it towards him. “Take it.” Her voice cracked, and he looked at her face to see that she was on the verge of tears._

_“No!” He stubbornly turned away. After a moment of sitting there holding the bracelet out, she laid it on the table beside him and walked out._

_He sat there for several moments, the bracelet burning a hole in the table beside him. Tears threatened, but his anger held him back. Finally, he grabbed his bag, and pushed himself away from the table, leaving the bracelet on the table. He tried to walk as if nothing was wrong, but once he found an empty men’s bathroom, he spent a long time pacing angrily and hitting his fists on the tile wall._

_Why didn’t she understand? He had to do this, there was so much pressure. He wanted to roar in frustration. He didn’t know how long his vented, but at some point he realized it was late. His father was probably looking for him. Leaving the bathroom, he turned himself towards the conference room. His father, indeed looking for him, came around the corner just as he reached the door._

_“Dave, where were you!” Dave felt bad: the man had started to worry. “Is everything ok?”_

_Pausing before he responded, he glanced into the conference room as they passed it. The table was empty, no sign of silver. He exhaled in relief. Eleni wouldn’t have just left it there for someone to pick up. Would she? He chose to believe she wouldn’t._

_“Elle and I had an argument.” Dave responded to his father. Her mother and his dad had helped them repair their tiffs since they were small children, and were used to tolerating it when their stubborn offspring treated each other with stony silence. Robert Kelly frowned slightly._

_“Want to talk about it?” Dave found he did, but knew he couldn’t. He put truth and lies together to make a reasonable story._

_“She thinks I’m being fake, all the appearances I’ve been making for your campaign and everything.” His father nodded, knowingly._

_“Elle has always been a bit black and white. It would be hard for her to accept some of the compromises that must happen for laws to be made to keep a population in relative safety.” Ever since Dave had indicated he was thinking of a career in politics, his father had taken to inserting nuggets of wisdom into their conversations. This was clearly one. “The question that you must ask yourself is, are you ok with what you are doing? Your image can be a huge asset or a huge liability.” They had entered the elevator, and Robert looked at his son thoughtfully. “Don’t become a lie, however. You might play to the crowds, and put on an act when it is necessary, but always stay true to who you are at heart.”_

_“How do I know if I am doing that?” His father shrugged._

_“It isn’t always easy, especially when you live in a world of grey where black and white is a sweet fantasy. But there will be lines that you cross over time, and hopefully you will recognize the one that is one step too far.”   
Dave pondered these words as they walked the distance to the building where they lived. It helped him procrastinate in considering what had just happened to him and Eleni. _

_Once at home and in his room, however, he felt the sadness start to win out over his anger and was no longer able to ignore the truth. She was no longer his. As tears started dripping down his face, he reached up to gently grasp the earring. He hated this situation, but he had made his decision and would see it through. He held fast to the knowledge that no matter what Eleni thought, he would always be hers._

“No.” Natal’s blunt reply snapped Dave back to the present. “It’s not that.” But there was something.

“What, then?” What had he done to offend this man? Natal just looked at him, then scoffed and shook his head. He leaned forward, arms on the table.

“Look, we’re doing this together. Let’s just see how it goes.” Dave was unhappy with that lukewarm reception, but dropped the subject.

Sanida returned, and they went back to their planning. A half hour later, they were done, and Dave left overall satisfied. Sanida would set up meetings with families for him, and start doing them herself. 

As Dave left, he looked forward to telling Kurt that he no longer needed the man’s help.


	18. Chapter 17

**ELENI**

Eleni held her body tense as Dwayne lifted her into an extended leap. She reveled in the experience. She had progressed to doing full length pieces with a partner including supported movements and lifts, and was now moving on to the more technically challenging lifts with some tosses. She pushed herself as far as she dared; the auditions for the annual performance were coming up and she intended to do her best.

_Get through the auditions and then to the performance,_ she thought to herself mechanically. 

It was getting harder to get through the days, even with the visits DownMountain. In spite of her determination, a small part of her questioned whether she would ever make it to the performance, and Eleni had adopted the mantra to keep herself going. It was often followed by _‘don’t even think about it,’_ the mantra that had haunted her for her entire life, though now the ‘it’ was actually Matthew. She avoided acknowledging that fact. 

Dwayne brought her down on the point of her toe, and after leaning her forward for a pose, they moved in tandem across the stage, where he then supported her for a series of relevés, pirouettes and smaller leaps. As the piece wrapped to a close, Eleni braced herself for the exit. Finishing a turn, she stuck a pose with one leg elevated above her head, her arms outstretched. Dwayne picked her up, and carried her off stage into the wings. Eleni’s heart soared with confidence and accomplishment. They’d done it, and done it well. 

As Dwayne put her down in the wing, she turned to thank him, as was her way, only to find him much closer to her than she expected. Suddenly his lips were on hers, and he was pushing her back into the wall.

Shock stilled her for a moment, though later she would be furious with herself for that reaction. She had known something like this was probable. The increase in sexual propositions at the school since Matthew had disengaged himself from her life had been a clear sign, and she had redoubled her practice of the self-defense she knew. She should never have let her guard down. 

Dwayne pulled his head back for a moment.

“C’mon, baby. Show me what got Summers so hot and bothered over you.” Then his lips were on hers again, and his hand was between her legs. That, more than anything, broke through her shock, and she reacted automatically. She lifted her leg, and turning it, brought her heel down on Dwayne’s instep, hard.

The man shrieked and was suddenly staggering away. Eleni took the opening, and shot out of the wing, through the curtains, back to the stage and to reality. 

Her mind grappled to understand the situation as people turned to her in surprise. This was no anonymous assault in some back alley. Sure, there were no witnesses, but there were plenty of supporters. Just not for her. 

Madam P spoke, a concerned look on her face.

“Is everything alright, Eleni?” Dwayne limped out from behind the curtain.

“This whore just pushed herself up against me, only to step on my foot a moment later and run off!” His eyes were fury made incarnate. Eleni schooled her face to nothing, and spoke her side quickly.

“He pushed me up against the wall, kissed me and put his hands between my legs against my will.” She pushed down how that made her feel, the violation, the wrongness of what had been done to her. She had to stay in control. “I defended myself.”

Madam P’s concern had dissolved into fury, but Eleni also saw frustration in the woman’s eyes as she looked back and forth between Eleni and Dwayne. The other students were whispering to each other, and casting dirty looks in Eleni’s direction. She had expected that. 

When she saw Adam walk up to Madam P and speak to her quietly, she remembered Matthew. He hadn’t been there earlier, and when she scanned the auditorium he was still absent. That was a small relief.

The room was buzzing. Madam P turned to the other students.

“This is a very unfortunate incident. If it reaches the tabloids, it will severely diminish my opinion of this year’s crop of dancers up for the annual performance.” The whispers stopped. Madam P turned back to the stage.

“Both of you are suspended from dancing until I find a way to resolve this situation.” As Dwayne sputtered his indignation, Eleni simply turned away, her heart heavy. She wasn’t surprised. Things had been the same in the Citadel; people had just wanted to incident to go away. It had usually meant the woman rescinding her story, or being berated into obscurity and a different life from the one she had led before. Eleni supposed, bitterly, she was about to find out whether the Montagne was the same.

As she left the stage, staying as far from the other students as she could, she made for Adam. 

“Mr. Summers, please don’t tell Matthew.” She said when she got there. “I don’t want him to worry. He shouldn’t, but…there’s just no reason to bother him with this.” She held the man’s eyes as she said these words. She didn’t want to deal with Matthew’s reaction to the assault. She didn’t think she could deal with Matthew at all.

Adam looked at her for a minute, then nodded. “That is probably a good idea. He won’t like it if he finds out.” Eleni shrugged that comment off and thanked Adam, then returned to the house, as she could no longer dance.

Once Eleni reached her room, her sanctuary, she didn’t immediately study as she had intended. She sat, repressing her tears, and distantly let herself feel what the whole incident had done to her. She felt disgusting and disgusted, violated and violent. She allowed herself a scream of fury and frustration. Her eyes squeezed together, and the tears dripped out the sides. After the attacks she had suffered at the Citadel, this assault was nothing, she told herself. She found that did little to assuage the hurt inside her.

“Eleni, may I come in?” Eleni looked up in surprise. Madam P. must have stepped away from the class. She opened the door to her room. “Oh, child, that was terrible what happened to you!” The tears came again now, as the older woman embraced her without question.

“It’s not a big deal.” She whispered. Madam P just held her tighter. After a few minutes, the woman pulled back.

“I think I have a way to take care of this, Eleni.” The teacher’s face was determined, but she didn’t explain further. “I have to get back,” she said as she turned away.

“Madam P.” Eleni called, sniffling.

“What is it child?” Madam P looked back.

“Please…don’t tell Matthew.” The ballet teacher’s brow furrowed.

“Eleni, I know something happened between you two, but you don’t keep something like this from a friend. And I refuse to believe you are no longer friends.”

“But it happened to me, and I want to decide who knows.” It then occurred to her that the entire dance school knew. She sighed, and added, “And I don’t…I don’t want to deal with his worry on top of everything.”

Madam P breath out in dismay as she looked at her charge. Finally, she nodded.

“That is your choice.” 

The teacher left, and Eleni was again alone with the aftermath. She wrapped her arms around herself, and lay down on her bed bidding her mind to think about nothing.

For the two afternoons following the incident Eleni was relegated to the house after school, but on the third day Madam P asked her to come to the main office of the dance school in the afternoon.

Eleni arrived to find Dwayne there with Adam, Madelyn and Madam P, as well as three more people, a man and two women whom Eleni didn’t recognize. One of the women stayed close to Dwayne, and gave Eleni a vicious glare. His mother, she guessed. 

Madam P cleared her throat. Eleni noticed she was dressed up, and recalled the woman had mentioned she would be out that evening.

“Ah, Eleni, thank you for being so prompt.” Eleni simply nodded in response. It appeared Dwayne had been speaking, and he continued after a glare at Eleni.

“Madam P, the injury to my foot is serious. Why are you prolonging this? This bitch should be expelled. It should have happened two days ago. You’ve heard from my parents, I know you have.”

“Yes, your mother and I had a…discussion.” The dance teacher responded dryly as her eyes flickered to the woman at his shoulder. “But I told her what I told you. By coincidence, today I had a previously scheduled appointment that will help us clear up this…disgusting incident.” Eleni saw the teacher’s eyes harden on Dwayne for a brief moment, and took courage from that. She didn’t like being so close to the man again.

Madam P assured them they would be waiting for only a minute, although she refused to say for what. Eleni thought Adam seemed to be in the dark as well. That impression was confirmed when his expression showed shock as the door opened and another man entered. Eleni turned to observe the new addition to the group.

He was middle aged, and moderately tall. His features were strong and long. His eyes were blue, and his hair, which was mostly hidden by the hat he wore, appeared to have gone white prematurely. He had an entourage with him: there were two people standing in the hall behind him, waiting. 

Madam P’s greeting made her stomach turn to stone.

“Head Lensher, thank you for agreeing to do this favor for me. You know I would not usually ask.” The man nodded.

“Natalya, I don’t believe you have ever asked me for a favor. I do not mind at all.” As he surveyed the room, he nodded towards Adam, Madelyn and Dwayne’s mother. They all greeted him, murmuring ‘Head Lensher’. He did the same for the other two adults, and seemed somewhat familiar with them as well. 

In spite of the greeting, Adam was scowling. It was a peripheral observation, as the majority of Eleni’s energy was being spent trying to keep her own anxiety down. Why was the Head of the Montagne here, what favor had Madam P asked of him, and how was it that she had the power to do so? 

Eleni recalled belatedly, and with a sinking stomach, that she still didn’t know what his powers were. She hadn’t asked Matthew when there was a chance, and was still debating whether to ask G. The Head was such a distant figure, she hadn’t felt a great urgency to do so.

The unnamed man picked up a clipboard with a form attached to it, and a pen. 

Madam P turned to Eleni and Dwayne. “Each of you will relate what happened the other day. Eleni, please begin.” Eleni took a deep breath, and willed that her voice would not shake. The person holding the clipboard wrote something down, and then looked to her expectantly. She spoke as concisely as possible.

“Dwayne had carried me off the stage in a lift. When he put me down, he pushed me back against a wall. He kissed me and put his hand between my legs. I stepped on his foot to defend myself, and get away from him.” The Head had taken off his hat, and she now saw that his hair was completely white. Then she dropped her eyes from him, and looked to Madam P who nodded at her. 

“Dwayne?” When Eleni glanced at the young man, she thought he looked pale. Nonetheless, he took a deep breath, appeared to get angry and then spoke.

“She wanted it. I didn’t do anything the bitch didn’t want!” Eleni had looked back at the Head, whose face stayed still. 

“We need facts not opinions,” said the woman in the room who remained anonymous. The man with her nodded.

“She kissed me.” He stuttered.

“The girl is telling the truth. The boy lies.” Declared the Head. He looked at the woman with the clipboard. Dwayne’s mother’s face twisted, and for a brief moment Eleni saw her glare a look of pure hatred at the man who had just proclaimed her son’s guilt. The ruler of the kingdom to which she was beholden.

“Witnessed and recorded.” The woman with the clipboard said, handing it to the Head. The man signed it, and handed it to Madam P, who signed it, as did every other adult in the room. The Head turned back to Eleni.  
“Child you have a choice. As your complaint has been found to be true, you can take your assailant to court should you choose.” 

“Dwayne will be expelled from the dance school regardless of what you do, child. That is the policy.” Madam P added.

Eleni looked around the room. She didn’t consider the option to go to court seriously. That would likely mean going public, and she had no desire to draw any more attention to herself. Her life had finally settled back to quiet anonymity for the most part, and this event would jeopardize that. 

“I do not wish to go to court.” She responded. The Head observed her for a moment, then nodded. “Witnessed and recorded.” The scribe said again, but this time the board went to Eleni for a signature, and then Madam P. 

His work completed, the Head turned to go. As he left, he glanced once more at Eleni. She looked away, in spite of the tendril of curiosity that unfolded in her belly. It felt like those piercing eyes knew her secrets just by looking at her. The man placed the hat, it was rimmed with a curved top, back on his head.

“Natalya, I will be waiting outside.” And he was gone. Eleni breathed out in relief as her emotions settled.

Dwayne and his mother left next, both glaring at Eleni as they went. The two who had recorded and witnessed the truth-telling followed. Madam P spoke quietly with Adam and Madelyn for a moment before they departed. Adam squeezed Eleni’s shoulder as he passed.

“I’m glad you found justice.” He said. His face was sad, however, almost haunted. He assured her again that he wouldn’t tell Matthew and departed.

Madam P took Eleni by the arm when she came over, and they walked back through the halls to the house, linked at the elbow.

“Thank you.” Eleni said quietly, knowing the value of what the teacher had just done for her.

“It is nothing, child.” She snorted. “They speak of the grandness of the Montagne but ignore the ugliness that they themselves perpetuate.” 

Even with the teacher’s recently expressed support for her, Eleni was surprised to hear this criticism voiced. The woman had always come across as loyal to the world that Magneto had created. Her surprise made her miss the chance to ask how Madam P could be so familiar with the Head. They had reached the kitchen.

“I won’t be late. Fix what you like for dinner.” 

She nodded, and the teacher left. Eleni settled into making herself a simple meal, wondering at what had just occurred. 

Apparently, justice was more than just a carrot used to motivate the downtrodden. She knew it wouldn’t change her life much, but for that moment she enjoyed the small victory and was surprised to find tears of relief in her eyes.

**MATTHEW**

Matthew walked into large dance studio, scanning it to see who was there. It appeared there were only individuals from the UpMountain there that day. Eleni wasn’t in evidence, which brought a mix of relief and disappointment. He hadn’t been sure today, as Madam P had specifically asked him to come. Apparently, they were down a male dancer. He made his way over to the barre to warm up.

He was starting to make it through the day without thinking about Eleni too much. He also thought the emotions he occasionally felt through the bond had faded, although there had been a spike of fear and anger a few days ago that had caught his attention. Another prank, he had supposed sadly, and had felt responsible.

Alicia joined him a few minutes later, as did Jenna. They moved to the floor to stretch. 

The day after the incident at the Cassidy’s, Jenna had apologized to him at the dance studio. She said she had thought it would only be a joke because he seemed to be getting back into the circles, and promised she wouldn’t do something like that again. He had his doubts, but she had only been amiable and supportive since then. He smiled at her as she sat to stretch. It was pleasantly companionable, but then Alicia went and ruined it.

“So, it appears Eleni was all over Dwayne the other day.” She sounded smug, as if she had expected it all along. Matthew’s stomach turned to stone, but he did his best to ignore his gut reaction and keep warming up. Alicia was annoyed by his lack of response.

“She couldn’t wait for him to—” 

“Why the hell do you want to talk about that, Alicia? Aren’t there more interesting and important things?” Jenna cut in. Matthew caught her eye in thanks, and she gave a small nod. “Like, this year’s performance. They’re considering options now.” It was nearly November, and the announcement would be made in December. The ballet chosen often reflected the overall ability of the current crop of students. Matthew knew what was coming next.

“What do you think our chances are we’ll get Swan Lake?” Alicia asked. It was considered the most challenging ballet, and not just for the female lead. Matthew shook his head, and Alicia glared at him.

“It’s not a reflection on you!” he protested. “You know Madam P won’t do that one again.”

“The Swan’s Curse.” Jenna intoned dramatically. Alicia exhaled in exasperation.

“They should just let go of that already! We are good, and deserve to be recognized for it!” She declared. “I’ve been thinking, do you think we could sweeten her up a bit? You know, get in her good graces? Mattie, you and Adam are like family to her – can’t you put a word in? For all of us? ” Matthew rolled his eyes.

“It’s not just her choice, don’t forget.” He reminded them to put them off. While he spoke the truth, the two other large dance schools UpMountain had a say in the decision as well, Madam P was renown as a director, and carried considerable clout. 

Alicia glared at him, and Jenna gave him a suffering look which turned in to a fond smile as he chuckled at them. Jenna’s smile was so familiar, and their eyes held for a moment as he took in her face. A glint caught his eye: she was wearing a pair of gold earrings in the shape of birds with ruby insets. Jenna noticed where his attention had gone.

“Remember these, Mattie?” She gently reached up an touched the back of one of the earrings. Of course he remembered: he had given them to her when she had been picked for the lead role in The Firebird. “They're my favorite pair.”

Matthew bent back to stretching.

“You know Madam P doesn’t allow jewelry,” was all he said in reply.

Cordelia arrived a few moments later. He would be working with her today, a fact she immediately mentioned. They were called to the center part of the trefoil shaped practice room and Jenna and Alicia left to practice elsewhere. 

As he was waiting for Madam P’s instructions, a movement to his right caught his eye. Matthew looked up and froze. Eleni had arrived at some point, and was practicing, alone, in one of the side areas. He quickly looked away.

“Matthew and Cordelia. Practice the advanced pas-de-deux, carrying the final lift to stage right.” They began running through the piece, and Madam P went over to Eleni.

The teacher returned a few minutes later, and drilled them on the final lift in the piece. Matthew raised the blond woman up in front of him with confidence, focusing only on her and her safety. Grasping her legs tightly, but maintaining an air of ease, he carried her to the side. Then he carefully let her slide down until he held her at a point where he could ensure her balance. 

As he set her down, she seemed to fall into him for a moment. He determinedly pushed her back and stepped away, knowing she was safely on the floor now. Cordelia smiled at him, communicating more than her appreciation with her eyes. He ignored her and returned to the center of the practice floor. He hoped that they had performed well enough to be done, but Madam P asked them to repeat the sequence.

Stunts like Cordelia had just pulled were becoming more common, now that he apparently wasn’t with Eleni, and wasn’t going back to Jenna. Men and women alike would stand closer to him than necessary, or touch him for no reason. All when Jenna was absent, of course. 

It was worst when he was dancing with someone, like just now with Cordelia, because they were already in close proximity. He was determinedly putting off all the advances, but they kept coming to his great annoyance.

His eyes fell on Eleni and lingered as she ran through the piece Madam P had assigned to her. He soaked up her dancing for a moment, but then Cordelia stood close and laid her hands on his arm. Reluctantly pulling his eyes from Eleni, he pulled his arm from Cordelia’s hands, and took the opening pose. 

Madelyn entered the practice room, and sought out Madam P. A moment later the two women left together. Matthew and Cordelia continued to dance. They reached the final lift, and he again carried her off stage. As he lowered her down, he found himself suddenly off balance. Putting one foot back to keep himself from falling, Cordelia, who was on the floor now, turned, pasted herself against him and pushed her knee between his legs. She pulled his head down and kissed him.

Irritation flooded him, followed by hurt and jealousy. The ghost of tears pushed at his eyes. What? The unexpected emotions delayed his reaction for a moment.

“Stop that!” he exclaimed, pushing Cordelia back and shaking his head in confusion. The room echoed with hoots from the other dancers, and calls for more. Matthew stepped back, trying to make sense of what had just happened. He looked up and found Eleni.

She was practicing as if nothing had happened, her emotions behind a veil. Matthew’s brow furrowed.

Cordelia pushed against him, supposedly apologizing.

“Come on, Mattie. It was just a bit of fun.”

“It wasn’t fun for me.” He growled, again pushing her away. His thoughts were still on Eleni.

“Matthew, Cordelia. Have you already perfected it? Show me then.” They snapped to attention as Madam P reentered the room, and quickly complied. When they finished, Matthew was chided for a lack of finesse, but to his relief the teacher dismissed Cordelia.

“Eleni, please come over.” 

Matthew breathed, trying to keep his reaction calm. The situation between himself and Eleni suddenly felt delicate, and more malleable than he had thought. He tried not to feel hopeful, concerned that the emotion might squash this opening. If it was an opening.

“Eleni, Matthew, you both know the practice pas-de-deux.” They nodded. It was the first piece partners learned at the school, and a short piece with several moderately challenging lifts in it. “Excellent, practice the lifts until I return, then we shall run through the dance. I expect to be impressed.” Matthew received a pointed look at that. Madam P called a student from the seats as she left to work with them.

Matthew looked at Eleni. She looked back at him, all business. He searched for signs that she felt the tenuous atmosphere between them, but found none.

“Well, let’s start with the first one.” He nodded, and they took their places. 

Hard as he tried to keep his feelings neutral, his happiness at dancing with her again simmered beneath his uncertainty. He tried not to feel it, knowing she would feel it as well. The restraint only made his dancing awkward. After a few minutes, he gave up trying. Focusing on the dancing, he let himself enjoy the experience. 

To his surprise, he felt Eleni relax as well. A soft sense of safeness emanated from her. Moving together started to feel natural again. After practicing the lifts for a few minutes, they decided to run through the entire piece. His emotions settled on bittersweet contentment, but in that grey area, the dancing came easily and he simply experienced having Eleni in his arms and at his fingertips. Meeting her eyes with his.

“Good!” Matthew looked up in surprise. He and Eleni had just completed the dance. They had made a few mistakes, and he was surprised by the compliment from Madam P. Jenna was standing behind the woman, her face far less appreciative.

Matthew moved away from the final pose behind Eleni, and stepped up beside her. She glanced up at him, solemn. He looked back at her for a moment. She nodded, then turned her head towards Madam P. He did the same. 

The teacher did grill them for the errors, but was otherwise impressed.

“You two brought a natural grace into the dance that was sublime. Poignant even. Whatever you did, keep doing it. Again!”

They danced again, though whatever had let them achieve that state of naturalness was not reclaimed. Matthew continued to enjoyed the opportunity to be close to Eleni. He allowed himself to forget their circumstances, and his feelings subsided to a soft happiness. 

They practiced the piece a few more times before Madam P said they were done and left them to work with other students. Eleni looked at Matthew.

“Thank you.” She said quietly. He blinked, surprised.

“Uh, thank you, too,” She started to turn away, then stopped.

“Matthew, have you learned anything new about…the bond?” She asked quietly. His heart fell. He shook his head. He had finished the last book from the university library, and stopped there.

“Let me know if you do.” He nodded, and spoke before she could turn away again.

“Eleni, I’ve missed dancing with you.” Surprise registered on her face, and longing pierced through the bond. It quickly vanished. She nodded after a moment, but then turned and walked away. Disheartened, Matthew watched her go.

Three days later, Matthew walked through the tall stacks in the lower levels of the university library. Small, narrow windows let limited light in from the interior of the UpMountain, making the LED lights in the long corridors a necessity. The books here ranged from memoirs to personal diaries. Matthew glanced at the paper in his hand again, and then moved on to the section just ahead of him.

The past couple of days, he had spent a lot of time thinking. Thinking about his conversation with G. Thinking about what Eleni had said to him in their fight. Think about what had happened in the studio. Thinking about what it all meant.

She had handed him the solution in bringing up the bond. If he could find some information on removing it, it would provide an excuse for them to meet. Then he could talk to her. He was thinking a lot about what he would say.

Finding the volume in question, he pulled it off the shelf. It was old, but the binding appeared in perfect order, as if no one had ever opened it. He looked for the author on the outside, but found none. Lifting the cover open, he found a message engraved on the inside cover.

_Gifted by the Greys, 2896._

That meant the book was over a hundred years old. The Greys, as in Rachel Grey, were a small UpMountain family. They kept quiet, the more ambitious branches of their family having been subsumed through marriage and the endless grab for the Montagne’s scarce assets. Jenna was distantly related to them through her mother.

Matthew started flipping through the book. Having exhausted all the informational books that addressed telepathy directly, he had gotten creative: now his search included texts that mention telepathy, even as fiction, and had already discarded several books that truly were fiction. This one, however, was different.

It appeared to be a memoir, and as Matthew flipped through it, he saw that it did indeed address telepathy. Extensively, even, and possibly accurately. Snapping the book shut, he decided to take it home and evaluate it further. 

As he left the stacks, his message mote vibrated. Pulling it out, he saw the note was from G. _Got lost at university again. U still here?_ Matthew shook his head in amusement. The military had provided message motes for G and Bright in an effort to help them make their meetings. No luck so far.

He had mentioned to G that he was coming to the university for an interview, so the man wouldn’t go to the dance school expecting to find him. Eleni was DownMountain today. 

Messaging back, he told G to meet him at the entrance to the library.

“I had no idea there were two entrances to this place!” G complained in feigned exasperation. “And it looked completely different coming in from the west entrance as opposed to the north entrance.” Matthew choked on a laugh and ended up coughing. The university consisted of a march of buildings surrounding a large grassy yard. It was easy to mistake one of the university buildings for another, and looked nearly identical from every side.

G pounded Matthew on the back, harder than necessary.

“You know there is a south entrance, too.”

“Oh, is that right?”

“It leads up from the military campus.” G nodded sagely.

“Good to know.”

They walked through the quad in silence for a minute. As they passed by a stone building with the impression of the Helm visible above the grand doors, flanked by two phoenixes, G snorted.

“I suppose that place is packed on the Holdays?”

“Not as much as you might think. It fell out of favor after the Polaris Reborn incident.” G took that information in, then glanced at him.

“You been in one?” Matthew nodded.

“Just for events that friends were holding.” G grimaced.

“I am sorry to hear that.”

The building belonged to The Cult of the Magnetist, a religion centered on Magneto that arisen after the Devastation. It was credited for keeping the Montagne stable during the early centuries, when the population was alternately ravaged by illness and food shortages. It had also kept the Lensher’s in power, lending a divine blessing to their place at the head of the Montagne. 

That was, however, until another magnetist had used the Cult to stage a coup against the family. It had nearly succeeded, and Cult had been downplayed ever since.

Matthew notice G looking at him.

“What is it?” He asked

“You don’t know, do you?” Matthew gave him a look of exasperation.

“Um, yeah, unless you tell me. You know I don’t just read minds.” G grinned.

“Ah, you’re a good one, Mattie.” Then the grin disappeared. “It’s about Elle.” Matthew tensed.

“What?”

“She was attacked.” Matthew stopped walking altogether. Again? How had he not felt anything? Had the bond faded that much? G saw his reaction and assuage Matthew’s fears.

“Not like what the cadets did. Travis told me his uncle did a truth telling for Madam P that involved Elle. He asked the Head himself, but his uncle wouldn’t share the details. So, he asked around.” G stopped, and looked away as anger darkened his brow.

“And?!” 

“Dwayne sexually assaulted Elle back stage. Most of the other students don’t see it that way of course, but there was a truth telling and he is no longer at the school, so…” Matthew barely heard for the fury that rose in him. G’s hand on his arm stopped him from storming off in his anger.

“Hey, for once, justice was done. I just thought you’d like to know. I know you worry about her.” Matthew nodded. He was grateful, otherwise he might never have known. 

“Thanks, G.” They walked on. “I hate this.” Matthew said. “We’re not even friends anymore.” G looked at him sideways as they walked. He understood.

“It is kind of strange. What exactly happened, Mattie?”

“I kissed her, and told her she was the one I wanted.” G’s brow furrowed.

“A bit, bold, perhaps? This is Elle we are talking about. It took months of dancing in silence to get her to have a conversation.” 

“She…she set Bright and I up, and I was a bit worked up over that.” G nodded, folding his lips in.

“So that’s what happened to Bright. They have been looking a bit down. I’m sorry, Mattie.”

“What, you’re not going to tell me it’s for the best?” 

“We already had that conversation. I wasn’t going to rub it in.” Matthew appreciated his friend’s rare moment of consideration.

“I still think about her a lot. How long does it take to get over someone?” He asked out of frustration. “And she’s getting hurt, she’s vulnerable…”

“I don’t know what to say, Mattie. She’s made her decision. You need to respect that.”

Matthew bowed his head, acknowledging the truth of what G said, but not liking it in the least.

Later that night, at dinner, he confronted his father. 

“I heard about Dwayne attacking Eleni. Why didn’t you tell me?” Adam met his eyes and paused in his eating.

“Eleni asked me not to. And I think she was right to do so.” Matthew looked at Adam trying to understand.

“Why would she do that?” Why wouldn’t she want him to know? Did she want distance between them that badly? His plan to talk to her suddenly seemed doomed to fail.

“She didn’t want you to worry.” That made Matthew pause.

“What did she mean by that?” Adam shrugged.

“It seems straightforward to me. If you want to know more, you’d have to talk to her.” The hazel-eyed man looked at his son. “Matthew, she’s been clear about her feelings. Don’t push things, now.” Matthew made a noncommittal response to that. The only thing his father had said that made sense was that he would have to talk to Eleni. He decided he’d go ahead with his plan.

After dinner, he spent some time doing just that. Back in his room, he added to the things he needed to say to Eleni. He kept getting angry when he thought about what Dwayne had done, and not just angry at Dwayne. His feelings for Eleni aside, this not-being-friends situation was no good.

Settling down a bit, he opened the book he had picked up that afternoon. He had intended to focus on the parts that discussed psychic bonds, but found himself reading all of it.

The author had been a telepath himself and of considerable power. He had controlled hundreds with minimal effort, and with the assistance of a device he had created, his telepathic reach had spanned great distances. Matthew wondered who it was, and came to the conclusion that they must have worked for the military. Mutant enhancement, such as that device, was part of the military’s directive, and they were secretive about their results. 

Compared to the other texts Matthew had read, he found it a bit naive, ignorant of information about the ability that was now common knowledge, and leading him to the conclusion that the book was far older than 100 years. It must have been reprinted over the centuries. However, it also had a depth of thought to it that Matthew found compelling. He realized as he read through it, that much of what the author wrote was based on intuition. 

There was a section on psychic bonds. It turned out the author had himself had a psychic connection with another individual, though the name had been redacted. He described the link as having a mental manifestation that he could see when he focused on it telepathically. In his case, it was a long tunnel, ornate and beautiful. When he touched it telepathically, he was pulled through it and instantaneously connected to the other individual, regardless of the distance between them. 

The idea of a mental image peaked Matthew’s interest. While he didn’t know what the bond between himself and Eleni looked like, he felt instinctively that he would know it on sight. Or thought, he corrected himself. He would need greater access to Eleni’s mind than the last time, however. If her desire to remove the bond was as strong as it had been, which he suspected was the case, that wouldn’t be a barrier.

The next Tuesday, when he arrived at the dance school, he spotted Eleni warming up on her own.

“Mattie!” Matthew waved to Jenna, but didn’t immediately take her up on her offer to join the group of dancers sitting in the seats. He made his way over to where Eleni was practicing alone. She saw him coming, but kept practicing. Her emotions, which had felt idle a moment ago, went obscure as she clamped down on them.

“Eleni.” She stopped and tensed. They had partnered a few more times in the last week, and now Matthew looked forward to it. Eleni was herself when she danced, not closed off and distant. Not like she was now.

He shook off his dismay at her reaction. Making sure no one was nearby to hear, he nonetheless spoke quietly. “I might have found something for the bond.”

Her eyes widened slightly, and he felt surprise peek through the bond. She hadn’t expected that. He briefly outlined the idea that the bond could have a mental image he could find, and that he would need greater access to her mind. That put her to pause for a moment.

“Would you need to rummage through my thoughts and memories?” He shook his head.

“No. You can hold things in, but the last time you focused on one memory. It created too narrow a space for me to work in. This time you could still hold things back, but let your…” he searched for a word that would make sense, “…your mind would need to be at rest and open.” 

The resting mind was a concept found in nearly all the texts he had found, except for the one that had given him his current idea. The states of the mind were divided and subdivided throughout the literature, with facts and hypothesis about how each state could be affected by a telepath. 

The resting state was when a person was thinking idly, with no specific purpose to their thoughts or actions. It was actually a fairly difficult state to hold, as the mind sought purpose as a rule, but it was a valuable state for a telepath as it created an openness that was otherwise absent.

Eleni was taking in this information, and responded after a moment.

“We would need time alone again.” Matthew nodded, remembering the last time they had tried to remove the bond. She breathed in deeply, thinking. “Madam P does errands every other Holday. This weekend she will be out. Let’s do it then.” Matthew nodded glad they wouldn’t have to wait long. “Come by around 10.”

Four days later, just after the start of November, he arrived at Madam P’s in the morning as scheduled. The teacher had already left the house and Eleni was alone. She was stiff and formal with him, saying little as he entered. 

He wasn’t much better. He had not brought up Dwayne’s attack at the dance school, but did intend to mention it today, and was tense in anticipation. 

Sitting on the couch in Madam P’s living room, as they hadn’t done in over a month, Eleni started to ask about what she needed to do so that he could search for the bond. He stopped her, and composed himself.

“Eleni, why did you keep Dwyane’s attack from me?” Eleni’s eyes opened wide in surprise and then irritation set it.

“Why? Because it had nothing to do with you.”

“Nothing to do with me? Nothing except that I’m the one who brought you up here and I feel responsible.”

“Well, don’t. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. I didn’t want you to feel that way. Anyway, as I said before, you gave me the chance to come up here, but I’m the one who chose to take it.”

“It was a gesture of friendship. We were friends. And as a friend, I wanted to know about what happened to you, Elle!” Matthew struggled to stay calm.

“This is not helping, you know, you insisting we talk about it!” He threw his hands up in frustration at the sharp words. He didn’t know how to do this, or even what exactly he was trying to do. He grasped for the words he had practiced.

“It hurts that you kept this from me. I needed to know!” They didn’t sound so good when he spoke them out loud. 

“You needed to know?” She said archly. He decided words were useless.

“Why? Because you wanted to go bash his face in? We already talked about jealously, Matthew. There is nothing to be jealous of and I don’t need you to defend my honor! Or are you going to start telling me what I can and can’t choose again because you’ve done so much for me?” He clenched his teeth.

“Look, I’m sorry for those things I said. They were wrong. And…Tracy.” He gritted his teeth, not wanting to admit this part. “You were right, there was some jealously. She’s…she’s the one Jenna cheated on me with, so, yeah, it brought up some unpleasant feelings and I reacted badly.” He pushed that all to the side. “But I want to do better! By the Helm, Elle, I’m your friend, and I just want to help you! I want to be there for you, like I used to be!” Those words burst out of him, unintended. The next ones he held back. _And I want you to want me to be there. _

Her control through the bond was almost a physical thing. He felt nothing but a wall. It was almost as if she wasn’t there at all.

She swallowed, but didn’t look at him and didn’t answer.

“We should move on to the bond.” She finally said.

“Now? But--” He couldn’t believe she would just end it there. That was no resolution.

“Or you can go.” He closed his eyes in frustration. He looked to the side and took a deep breath to calm himself. He gave in.

“OK.” He was silent for a minute, trying to put his emotions aside and focus on the task at hand.

“What do you need me to do?” She asked. The wall through the bond eased, though only focus and determination hovered on the other side. 

“Um, well,” he reluctantly gathered his thoughts. “I’ll need you to relax and let your mind wander. As if you were staring into space.” She started to feel worried, and he added, “You can hold things back. I don’t need your entire mind. However, I need it more relaxed than it was last time. I think it was too closed off then.” Eleni took a deep breath.

“Let me try before you start looking for the bond.” 

She closed her eyes, and a moment later indicated she was ready. He put his hand to her temple and entered her mind.

He found himself floating in a shadowed world with images occasionally floating by him. Images of dancers, old conversations, her homework. G passed by, his eyebrows raised in an expression of skepticism. Matthew almost laughed at that, then recalled where he was. 

Yes, this was good. He sensed there were areas he would not be able to approach, and he hoped what he could access would be enough. He withdrew and opened his eyes.

“That’s good. Do you think you can sustain that for a while?” She shrugged.

“I have to, don’t I?” _If you want to get rid of the bond,_ he thought, bitterly, but outwardly just nodded.

“Let’s go upstairs.” Eleni said. “The last time took longer than I expected and I don’t want Madam P to walk in to find us here in the middle of it. She should be back around 4.” 

Matthew followed her up the floating staircase with curiosity. He had never been upstairs at Madam P’s before. The staircase opened to a landing which spread to the right and left. Corridors, bordered by a railing that looked down on the staircase, spread back down the length of the staircase on both sides. 

Eleni curved around to the left side, then entered the first door to the right. When Matthew followed her, he found himself in a medium sized bedroom, with windows across from him and to the left, and doors on the wall to the right. 

Eleni grabbed a blanket from the bed which she then spread out on the floor for them. Matthew sat obligingly. She sat behind and to the right of him, with her back facing him, and they both lay down with their heads close and their legs pointed in opposite directions, as they had before. He turned his head to her, and after a moment of preparation, she to him. Their foreheads touched, and he was in her mind again.

Matthew floated through her mind, careful not to apply mental pressure of any sort. Thoughts and memories drifted past, all mundane. On the edges, he again sensed the walls where she was closing off things that were private, things that she didn’t want him to see accidently. Recalling her control from the past, he knew that was unlikely to happen. He set his mind to finding the bond.

At first, there was little that would indicate a bond of any sort, and for a long while he sifted through various mundane scenes, mostly relating to the Montagne. Then, in a memory associated with dancing at the school, he saw several threads, glowing with luminescence in his mind’s eye. 

Moving closer, he saw that the memory was of himself and Eleni dancing together. He watched for a moment, which was disconcerting as he met his own eyes and had the sensation of being lifted. He was reassured to find the memory a pleasant one for Eleni, a fact he held onto. He focused on the threads. 

They were part of a whole, this he knew intuitively, and yet they were still incomplete. He was fairly certain that this was the bond, though other than a set of threads it took no form that he could identify. It was all he had to go on for now, he decided, and began to follow them to discern their root in Eleni’s mind.

More memories and thoughts passed by, and the threads transected several of them. He featured in every one, which made sense. He started to notice that the number of threads, which had maybe been around 10 to start, was diminishing. Soon there was only one thread. This development concerned him, although, he thought sadly, it would probably make removing the bond easier. 

He was distracted by this thought as he followed the thread, and didn’t see the memory that he was approaching. Not until he heard the voice, and realized that he had left himself open, too open. 

_Don’t leave me!_ The thread went right through the memory. He didn’t understand how he had missed it the last time he was in Eleni’s mind, until he saw that the memory was not just of Eleni’s mother but that a version of his own trauma was playing in parallel beside it. It was Eleni’s memory of seeing his memory. He suddenly had double vision, as his own nightmare sought to take control. The waking world disappeared.

_Matthew!_

Where was that voice coming from? Matthew, hidden under a rock above a ravine where his friends were suffering, couldn’t move but still registered the voice. Not able to place it, he went back to his terror, to watching his mother edge forward. Was that something to the right? He had to call her back! She turned, her head slapped forward, blood started to flow down…

_Matthew! Look!_

Terror now mixed with terrible guilt, pain and loss. He had to make it stop. The men were grabbing him. _**STOP!**_

_Matthew! Here, here, look at me!_

There was a woman in front of him. He knew she didn’t belong there, but she was forcing him to look at her. How could she do that? It didn’t matter, he had to make this all _**STOP!**_ The men around him flinched. His mother was gone. Her couldn't feel her anymore, and the place where she had always been was like a black pit inside of his head. Where were Jalisa and Tara? Where was Jimmy?! He needed them!

_Matthew! Look at his arm!_ He was unable to pull his eyes away from the woman. She was trying to grab the arm of the man she was next to, but her hand passed through it. It passed through the white armband the man wore. Again and again.

_Matthew! SEE IT!!_ He focused on the armband. Everything finally stopped.

Coming out of Eleni’s mind, or pushing her out of his he realized, Matthew brought his hands up to his head in shock. An image, clear now where it had always been fuzzy, was forefront in his mind. 

The symbol on the armbands. 

The insignia of the Montagne burned into his mind’s eye. 

They had killed his mother. They had taken him, Jalisa, G and Tara. There had been no bandits.

He ruthlessly shoved all thoughts away, unable to deal with the implications, and pushed himself up, grasping for some semblance of control.

“Matthew, are you ok?” His head snapped up to look at Eleni who was sitting up in front of him. They had failed to remove the bond again, but in light of what had just happened that barely registered with him. She was watching him intently, and suddenly his emotions centered on her.

“What did you do?” He demanded. She started, the concern on her face turning determined.

“Did you see the armband?” She asked, insistent.

“They were from the Montagne.” He said weakly, his eyes going distant. No, don’t think about that! He focused on her again. “Why did you do that? What did you do?” He demanded.

“You needed to know. I helped you.” Now there was a stubborn, almost indignant, set to her face, and her emotions were tightly pulled in.

“You entered my mind. Through the bond.” Her eyes widened shock, and then hardened again. He vaguely registered a moment of surprise from her. 

“I just focused on the men, and made you look at them.” Her eyes challenged him, and he understood. She hadn’t realized what she was doing, she had just gone ahead and done it. The former fact failed to assuage his growing anger, the latter exacerbated it. 

“Why did you think you had the right to do that?”

Anger entered the set of her face and the bond, the emotion breaking through her control. She stood up. 

“I decided you should know, and that if there was an opportunity to get it into your thick skull that I would take it! You were keeping the truth from yourself, and I couldn’t ask you if it was ok. You just got angry when I tried to tell you! You may not be in the sort of danger I was in at the Citadel, but the Montagne is not your ally! They think they own you! It’s wrong. You needed to know that they took you.” She turned away and walked over to her desk. Her voice shook. “You do now, so you can make better decisions for yourself. We’re done here anyway. You should go. I won’t ask you about the bond anymore.” 

No way. His anger wouldn’t let him let her let this go. He stood.

“You went into my mind and changed my memory and that doesn’t bother you at all?” She refused to turn around and he spoke at her back.

“I didn’t change it, I just made you see what you were stopping yourself from seeing! And why are you getting angry at me? You should be getting angry at the Montagne!”

“Did you think at all about what you were doing? It could have been dangerous! I could have obliterated your mind in my panic!” She looked back over her shoulder and a flicker of her eyes told him she hadn’t realized that.

“Maybe it was dangerous, but nothing happened and you needed to know that information! Why aren’t you even reacting to the fact that they killed your mother? It was no random attack! The person who killed her is living somewhere in this pretty cave!” 

That thought stopped him. The person who had shot his mother lived somewhere in the Montagne. Probably in the UpMountain. Several of his neighbors worked in the military. Their faces flashed in front of his eyes.

He dropped to his knees holding his head in his hands, not wanting to know this truth, wanting to forget that his mother had been shot in the head in front of him by someone he might know. His breathing became strained. His eyes squeezed shut and tears dripped down his cheeks.

He didn’t know that Eleni was beside him until he felt her hand on his arm. A glance to the side told him she was kneeling next to him, facing him.

“I’m sorry it’s causing you so much pain. I see that what I did was intrusive, but I still believe you should have known.” Matthew wasn’t sure, and turned his head away trying to bring himself to some kind of calm, wishing he had Eleni’s self-control.

“I’m so sorry, Matthew.” She whispered again. She laid her arm across his back and leaned her head on the back of his right shoulder. He gave up on trying to avoid her, and turned his head back to let it fall to her shoulder.

The pain of his mother’s death assailed him. The thought that someone within the Montagne was responsible made him sick. The distance between himself and the woman next to him made him deeply sad. He hit bottom. Two of those things he was powerless to change.

“Why are we impossible?” He whispered, broken. He had nothing left, and thought maybe in this answer he could find something to bring him back. Eleni gave him silence.

Knowing it was the last time he would be this close to her, he turned his face towards her neck, and buried it in the join at her shoulder. His tears smeared and wet her skin.

She started to pull back, but he didn’t move. He wouldn’t until he had to. He knew she was saying good bye. 

Her lips brushed against his.

It was so light he barely knew it had happened. Then she was withdrawing again, for good this time. He raised his hand to cup the side of her face and stop her as he lifted his head from her shoulder. His thumb felt wetness on her cheek as he pulled them back together.

**EBONY**

Ebony Darkholm saw her prey approach the table, and hid a bitter grin of satisfaction. The distraction nearly made her miss Travis’ silly objection in the conversation they were having.

“Ebony, I don’t understand why you insist on playing devil’s advocate and making the magnetist a person. It makes more sense as a metaphor for the Montagne.” Ebony clenched her teeth in annoyance,

“It does not make more sense! In one of the prophecies, the Magnetist influences another actor, and ‘rends the diamond city.’ The Diamond City refers to the Atrium. If the Magnetist is the Montagne, what does that mean? The Montagne is going to rend itself? And why? Not to mention it borders on breaking one of the rules of prophecy: “Actors can have more than one reference applied to them, but never show up more than once, including under more than one reference, in the same prophecy.’ And as I just said, ‘Diamond City’ and ‘Magnetist’ both show up in that prophecy.” Travis looked at her like she was crazy. 

“This is why I don’t delve into prophetical theory. The only thing it is good for is a headache when you want to get out of class.”

“’His heir in blood and power’?” She countered, quoting. “That’s pretty clear. It’s going to happen.”

“Yes,” Travis conceded, “but not this generation. Sorry to let you down. You’ll just have to wait like everyone else. Unless,” his tone became pointed, “you accept the Magnetist as a metaphor.” 

Ebony sighed out, and muttered her reply as the reason she was putting up with this debate came close.

“We’re idiots if we ignore a potential disruption, and it could very well be a constructive disruption, you just need to make sure they are on the right side.”

Travis rolled his eyes. “Anyway, Ebb, you are forgetting that magnetism has disappeared completely from the collective genetic makeup of the population.” He grinned at Eleni as she sat, and she briefly returned the gesture, though Ebony saw a question in her eyes. Rumor was the woman must have been living under a rock, she was so behind in her studies. She no doubt didn’t understand what Travis had been talking about. Ebony didn’t provide an explanation.

“It could always reappear. Randomness is at the heart of mutation.”

“It was, but that has subsided over the centuries. We get the same powers over and over again now.” Travis, tired of the topic, turned to Eleni. 

“How was the morning, Elle?”

Ebony didn’t bother to wait for the woman’s answer.

“So, you’re holding hands with him now. And kissing him.” She said it as if she was commenting on a new outfit, and one that didn’t pass muster. Eleni shrugged.

“The morning was fine, Travis. And,” Eleni focused on settling her bag as she sat, “that’s usually what you do with your boyfriend as I understand.” She glanced up at Ebony, and gave a half smile with no warmth. “Right?” 

“What happened to ‘impossible’?” Ebony countered flatly. Eleni gave a slow shrug and said nothing.

In the past Ebony had suffered this woman out of her own curiosity, but this time some of Ebony’s other friends had sent her over. The sight of Matthew Summers being cozy with this woman was simply too much to bear, and the circles were becoming increasingly aggravated as the days passed. 

“You didn’t do it before.” Ebony pointed out. What was this woman’s aim? Ebony’s friends had labeled her an ice-queen, with no ambition beyond getting her hands on Matthew’s wealth. But Ebony’s gut didn’t agree.

“He wasn’t my boyfriend before.” Eleni focused on her food. Ebony stared for a minute, not satisfied with Eleni’s answer.

“Or you’re quite the actress.” Eleni was ready for that.

“Takes one to know one.” She murmured. Travis, sitting between them, looked back and forth as if he were watching a close tennis match.

Irked, Ebony dropped her questioning and began eating. She considered whether she should be direct or not. Her friends wanted her to scare the woman off, but Ebony didn’t particularly care if Matthew Summers was intent upon continuing the ruination of his family name that his father had started. Something about the woman in front of her still bothered her, however, and she welcomed the opportunity to get under the woman’s skin.

“Hey, Ebb, what does Craig think of our chances against Frost?” Ebony complied with her friend’s questions about the upcoming football game, but didn’t forget her mission. 

When the subject died down, Ebony decided to be direct.

“Why? Why go through all this abuse? Why go through it when you say you weren’t even together before? Are you some kind of masochist?”

“Interesting thought.” Ebony held Eleni in her eyes after her noncommittal comment, though the woman bent back to her food ignoring the glare.

“You two have no future together,” Ebony stated bluntly. “It’s going to end badly.” This time Eleni stayed silent, but her eyes flickered up for a moment. The resigned acceptance Ebony saw there only confused the dark woman further. 

**CITADEL 3020.11.10**

**DAVE**

Dave idly swirled his drink as he listened to the conversation blending around him.

“Bored?” Isabella Kondo was beside him, leaning in closer than he liked.

“No.” He lied. “Just taking in the atmosphere.” It was another law college gathering, he’d been to several already, and while he found the distraction pleasant at times, tonight his mind refused to settle on lighthearted conversation and drinks.

“We could go somewhere else.” Isabella suggested, moving closer, though Dave wasn’t sure how that was possible.

“Ah, no, I’m meeting a friend here later.” Damn. Now he had to get himself out of the situation. He should have been paying more attention. He smiled at his companion, then shifted back into the group conversation.

Several minutes later, Isabella had become engaged in the conversation, and Dave quietly stepped away to get some fresh air out on the courtyard. The cold didn’t phase him, and he stared into nothing for a long moment.

“Not too impressed with Isabella, huh?” A familiar voice prodded him. He turned to Sanida, glad that his excuse that he was waiting for a friend had unexpectedly turned out to be true.

“I’m not impressed with…” He made a general gesture towards the party. Sanida looked at him speculatively as she came over to join him next to the railing that edged a small garden, mostly brown in preparation for the winter months.

He was glad when she didn’t speak. They couldn’t speak of their plans here – it was too risky. And he was not in the mood for small talk. 

Then she did speak.

“Um…before I ask this, I am going to put myself on the line and say that I really don’t care what your answer is. It won’t change how I think about you, and I won’t tell anyone.” Dave glanced over to find her looking at him sideways, clearly tense. What could she ask that would make her so uncomfortable? They were working on a plan for mutant amnesty together. “But…do you…not prefer…the company of women?”

Dave was silent for a moment first as he discerned the meaning of her question, and then out of shock.

“Ah…no! No. I like…women. I liked you.” He smirked and laughed to emphasize the joke, and Sanida gave a small smile in return, though doubt lingered in her eyes. He looked at her sideways. “But, people like that don’t bother you?” The woman remained tense.

“No. You?”

“No.” Sanida relaxed. “Why…why did you think that? Just because I maneuvered away from Isabella there?” Now it was Sanida who smirked.

“Well, there was the incident with Heather Desjardins.” Dave winced visibly, making Sanida chuckle. “And did you and Corella ever do anything other than walk next to each other?” Dave shrugged at that.  
“Her family is highly conservative. We were making a concerted effort to understand each other’s philosophies.” Sanida actually snorted.

“Everyone at the Academy was so angry with Heather for getting you, then messing it up, then so appalled when you started dating Corella.” Another sideways look, bereft of humor this time, and Dave had the feeling she hadn’t believed his professions that that relationship had been an exercise in open-mindedness on his part. He didn’t reply, and the silence became heavy. 

“It seems like there must be some kind of reason, Dave. Your behavior is not typical, and you have just denied the first semi-logical conclusion. You could have had your choice of girls from the Academy.” Dave thought fast, and tried to stick to the truth as much as he could.

“There was someone. I still care about her.” He said, looking down. “But we can’t be together.” When Sanida spoke, he looked up to find her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Her mind was as quick as ever.

“I suppose your father allowed you to meet…others…through you sister and her mother.” Dave clenched his jaw at how Sanida, as shockingly openminded as she was, still held a tone of disgust as she addressed this topic. Dave gave a noncommittal grunt.

“I don’t really want to talk about it.” Sanida backed off. In a way.

“So, those relationships were for show. Or sussing out potential wives – you were planning to pull another coup like your father, no doubt.” Now Dave got angry. He stepped close to Sanida.

“I did not even THINK of doing such a thing!” He hissed. Sanida didn’t flinch or back down at his outburst, but she surveyed him and he felt she found him wanting. She turned back to the railing, unconcerned.

“It’s too bad we didn’t get together. It would have worked out perfectly, and you would have avoided the scenes you created with Heather and Corella.” Dave narrowed his eyes at her.

“What about Natal?” Sanida just shrugged.

“I’ll see you in there.” Dave watched her go, confused. He wondered at the risk Sanida had just taken bringing up homosexuality in a conversation, but didn’t dwell long on those thoughts.

Instead, he gave a bitter laugh at the irony of her last statement. Sanida was right; if only his original plan had worked, and they had gotten together, it seemed that considerable pain would have been avoided. Recalling his encounter with Heather only weeks earlier, he knew the pain to be lasting as well.

_Dave smiled down at the girl by his side, hoping it was convincing. Her return smile, made through her long lashes, told him it was. She squeezed his hand._

_He had been dating Heather for nearly a month now. Once Eleni had left him, he had asked Sanida out, only to discover that she had started dating another classmate of his. _

_Temporarily at a loss, he had held on to his anger towards Eleni’s stubbornness and realized that Heather was also another viable option: he knew she had been interested in him in the past, and she was currently not dating anyone. She and her previous boyfriend had parted a month ago, though it was unclear as to who had left who. Anyway, Heather had noticed him hanging around, and started being close again._

_They were dating within three weeks of him breaking up with Eleni._

_Things seemed to be going as Dave had expected. His father had won his re-election bid at the start of November, and with the campaign over Dave had a bit more time to spend with his new girlfriend. Nonetheless, as she had her field hockey, and he was student council president, they were busy, and rarely had time alone. That suited Dave. They walked together, hung out with their friends after practice, and kissed a bit, but it was all very limited._

_“Dinner tonight.” She reminded him. He wished she hadn’t. It would be the second time he had gone to her house for dinner. The last time, they had somehow ended up alone in the games room. He had found the situation distinctly uncomfortable, though nothing much had happened._

_Sure enough, later that evening, he found them once again alone in her game room. He tried to keep them talking about sports, an interest they shared through his lacrosse and Heather’s field hockey and basketball. She spoke across his impression of their school’s soccer team._

_“My brothers have gone to do their homework upstairs. They’ll be a while.” She had three older brothers, two of whom still attended Dave’s school. “My mom and dad rarely come down here, and we’ll hear them on the stairs…” Dave said nothing, not sure what she was suggesting._

_“We have hardly had any time alone.” Heather said, as she moved closer to him. “Dave, it’s ok to kiss me you know? Like, really kiss me. I’m not going to get pregnant or anything.”_

_Unable to think of a believable excuse he could use to leave, he obediently put his arms around her and kissed her briefly. That wasn’t what she had meant._

_“You need some lessons.” She declared, and then her lips were on his, her tongue in his mouth a moment later. He pulled back._

_“Hey, Heather, I don’t know about that.” _

_“It’s what everyone does. It will feel good, trust me!” Dave was horrified, and felt his plan of staying true to Eleni start to fall apart. He had long ago dismissed the stories his friends shared as bragging, but now he started to suspect that some of those stories had been true._

_“Well, maybe they do, but I don’t.” Heather looked at him, speculative, then with an edge of disgust she said._

_“Do you not like girls?” Dave froze._

_“What?”_

_“Well, before, I was giving you all the signs, and you went and played with the boys. Some of my friends said you might be…different.” She looked uncomfortable as she said this. _

_Dave’s stomach turned to ice. He couldn’t allow people to think he was attracted to men. He forced himself to talk._

_“No! I like girls.” He swallowed. “I like you.” _

_“Then show me.” Seeing no other option, he obliged._

_Later, he determinedly ignored how his stomach felt. There was a strange tenseness throughout his whole body, like after being taken by surprise. They hadn’t done anything he hadn’t already done with Eleni, and hadn’t gone as far as that relationship had, but he hadn’t wanted it, and that was leaving a lasting impression._

_As the weeks passed, he tried to subtly maneuver to limit the time he and Heather had alone. The family dinners, which became a regular occurrence, proved to be the most difficult to control; he was slightly shocked that the adults didn’t try harder to keep an eye on their children’s activities. _

_He found a solution at his parent’s houses fairly quickly; he claimed his mother was strict, due to his father’s infidelity. Then he made sure his mother was aware of every dinner at his father’s penthouse, guaranteeing her presence. Heather backed off then._

_When he couldn’t avoid a dinner at Heather’s house, he knew he would have to deal with her apparently amorous nature. He was able to keep things at the same level for a little while, but then she started doing more. The last straw was when she put her hand down his pants without his permission._

_They had been together for only two months, but that moment ended the relationship. _

_“Heather, this isn’t working! We’re done.”_

_Heather looked alarmed and then angry. _

_“What? What’s wrong with you?” _

_“Wrong with me? Nothing’s wrong with me! I told you I don’t want to do that stuff! What’s wrong with you that you don’t understand that?” Heather’s face went pale, and her anger became brittle._

_“Don’t you dare leave me, Dave Kelly.”_

_“You can’t order me to stay with you! Maybe if you had listened to me, I wouldn’t be leaving!” He ignored what she said next, turned away and stormed out. _

_That was a mistake._

_The next day at school, his classmates were giving him looks, some sizing him up, some not so much._

_“A bit too eager, huh Kelly?” One called from the crowd as he walked by. Then Jamal “J.J.” Warner, Heather’s former boyfriend, grabbed him roughly by the arm._

_“What’s wrong with you? If you were looking for someone easy, you should have come and talked to me about Heather first. I would have told you that getting Heather to do anything is like waiting for ice to melt on a winter’s day. It took me forever to get her into my room, and then my mother caught us! I broke up with her because it wasn’t worth the trouble. And I would have told you all that if you had asked! But forcing her to do things she didn’t want to do? That’s wrong, man!” He pushed Dave back roughly, and with a final glare, left his classmate with his mouth hanging open. _

_By the end of the day, Dave understood that Heather had been busy the previous night, messaging her friends and telling them that she had made him leave because he had been pressuring her sexually. The news had quickly spread to the boys._

_Sure enough, after school let out, the girls were nearly uniform in their sudden disgust of him. Most avoided him. However, apart from a few male students who disapproved of his alleged behavior, it didn’t change much for him at his school, and he decided to ignore it until the whole episode blew over._

_However, the story got around to the adults, and a week later his mother stormed in late one evening while he and his father were watching TV. She barely wasted breath on greetings._

_“Are these rumors true, Dave? That you pressured Heather into sexual acts she didn’t wish to perform?” Dave’s father looked from his wife to his son, alarm dawning on his face, then turned the TV off._

_“No!” Dave responded immediately, standing up, and the questioning began. Dave tried to hold out for a few moments, but eventually he broke down and told them everything._

_“She wanted to do things that I wasn’t ready to do, and she thought…she said I liked boys! So, I did the stuff she wanted, but then she kept pushing for more, and she pushed too far! So, I broke it off, and then she spread these lies!” He was shocked to find tears on his face. His mother’s face went from stern to shock to sympathy, and then she was holding him._

_“I believe you.” She said, and Dave felt immediate relief._

_“As do I, Dave.” Came his father’s voice, somewhat strangled, “What Heather has done is despicable. I will—”_

_“I’ll handle it.” Angela cut her husband off, then met him firm gaze for firm gaze. “Her mother is talking the incident up at the club. But she seems to have forgotten some key facts. Now that I have the full story, I know exactly what to do.” _

_She turned back to Dave, determined, and grasped his face in her hands. “No one attacks my son.” Then, she ruffled his hair as if he were five again, and repeating that she would take care of it, she left. Dave looked at his father. The man looked unhappy, and spoke with reluctance._

_“It is probably better if your mother deals with this incident.” His expression turned sympathetic. “How are you doing?” They settled back on the couch._

_Dave didn’t find out exactly what his mother did until weeks later, but things at school changed within days. The looks of approbation and disgust went away for the most part. So did the looks of approval, and those were replaced by teasing. Somehow, he became the ‘bashful baron.’ He didn’t care, so long as people no longer thought he would force himself on someone._

_The next time he was at the townhouse for dinner, he asked his mother what she had done, she simply said she had stated the facts and let the audience decide. The conversation fell into a lull after his question, and when Dave looked up he found his mother’s eyes on him._

_“She would have destroyed you.” Angela said. Dave found the gaze intense, and felt as if he had done something wrong. “I defended you.” He nodded._

_“I know. Thank you.” It had made his life easier. Her gaze remained._

_“Dave, I may have destroyed her. You need to know that. How she threatened you was wrong. And the lies she spread. But the price she may pay in return…” His mother took a deep breath, and looked away. “She should never have suggested you could be an abomination. She always struck me as a smart girl. I suppose now we’ll see if she really is.”_

_Dave stared in confusion, but the woman dropped the topic._

_At school, Dave noticed that Heather, who had previously been one of the most popular girls, now walked alone. _

_They entered the holiday season, with parties every Rest Day, and Dave struggled to keep up a happy and confident front. He thought things would start to get better. He thought of Eleni, and worked up his courage to return to the 22nd floor._

_She was dancing in the conference room the day he went back. Standing in the doorway, he watched her, not wanting to interrupt her, and enjoying the calm he felt at seeing her dance again. _

_He reflected on her and what she was to him. She knew things about him that no one else ever could, and he never had to hold back with her. She was clear about what she wanted, and challenged him, but he had never felt that she put pressure on him beyond that or tried to manipulate him. She left him to make his own decisions, as stupid as they might be, but still accepted him. He wanted that back. _

_A deep certainty started to settle in him that she was the only one for him. He just had to find a way they could be together._

_Then she caught sight of him as she was coming out of a turn in the choreography. Her face snapped closed, and without hesitation, without a word, she turned and walked away. His spirits, barely risen, plummeted. He didn’t even try to follow as she disappeared into the lounge and locked the door. _

_He did stay at the office until she left with her mother, but she ignored him the entire time. He went home feeling wretched and depressed, a state that refused to lift as the days went by. The holiday cheer echoed hollowly in his ears._

_That was how Corella Crawford, daughter of an influential Humanist pastor, found him just after the Christmas holidays. He was surprised when she sat down beside him in the courtyard at school, and after a bare greeting, decided to ignore her. It was a cold day, and Dave had gone outside purposely so he could be alone. Around them, workers were taking down the decorations to store for next year._

_Corella didn’t speak right away, but she didn’t go away either as he had been hoping. _

_“Heather DesJardins treated you very badly.” She finally began. _

_He then found out how his mother had “handled” things. A few weeks back, there had been a rather public confrontation between Heather’s mother and his own at the club they both frequented. Heather’s mother had come out flying on her anger over Dave’s supposed infraction. Angela Kelly had shot the woman down with a powerful weapon: the undeniable truth._

_She had pointed out that Heather had been in two relationships before Dave, while he had been in none. Further, the mother of one of those boys, another club member, had apparently once complained about finding Heather and her son in his bedroom. That mother had been dismayed at their precociousness. _

_Dave’s mother had then presented the story as he had told it, minus Heather’s suggestion that he liked boys instead of girls, but including his emotional reaction. She had topped her pile of facts off with a nasty quip that, if Heather was so interested in acting like someone’s bitch, why didn’t they just get her spayed and be done with it. The way Corella related the last part, there could be no doubt that she agreed with Dave’s mother’s assessment._

_Dave was astounded and somewhat dismayed to learn exactly what his mother had done. He recalled Angela’s warning, as he thanked Corella for sharing the story and settled back into staring disconsolately at the courtyard. _

_Instead of leaving as he had expected, Corella made him an offer._

_“I admire that in you, Dave. You respect who you are with, and expect the same. And you have a sense of propriety.” Her next sentence nearly made him choke. “I think we would be good together.”_

_She went on, making her case. Yes, at first, they would be an odd couple, but it would be an opportunity to learn about each other’s philosophies. It was already established that they had similar wishes when it came to relationships, so they could be more comfortable with each other from the start. _

_There was more, but Dave started making connections of his own. Corella would actually stick to a chaste relationship, she wouldn’t be all over him like Heather had. He could take control of his image again; he appreciated what his mother had done for him, but it did chafe at his independence._

_What decided it, however, was seeing Eleni come out of the girl’s academy. Though he couldn’t see it under her long coat, he knew she didn’t wear his bracelet at her wrist. He suddenly wanted nothing more than to take off the earring she had given him, but didn’t as he had nowhere safe to put it at that moment. He did turn to Corella, and accept her proposition. _

_That was how he began dating a Humanist._

Yes, there was much pain that would have been avoided had he dated Sanida instead. He knew it was pointless to dwell on past events that couldn’t be changed, but he spent the rest of the evening imagining what life might have been like.


	19. Chapter 18

**ELENI**

Eleni entered the cafeteria and made a beeline for the usual table. With relief, she noted that Travis was there that day, and Ebony was already well settled with her usual group, meaning she was unlikely to come over. Her presence the previous day had proven detrimental.

Bat-like wings clipped her on one side, and Eleni swayed to the right to avoid being hit again. Ignoring the laughter behind her, she finally made it to the table.

“Hey Travis.” She said, putting her bag down. 

“Elle!” Travis looked up from digging through his book bag, wide smile lighting the young man’s pale face. He stood, pulling something from his bag. He had grown over the past couple months, and now stood slightly taller than her.

“Are you staying?” She asked, worried she’d lose another opportunity.

“Coming back. I have something I need to drop off. My…ah, a friend asked for it.” He waved a book in the air, and she nodded as he turned and left.

As she laid out her lunch, she thought carefully about how about to broach the topic she needed addressed. When the young man returned several minutes later, he immediately launched into a story about his least favorite teacher.

“Oh, Fraiser was on point today.” Travis looked smug. “I quote ‘There has been some research into whether limited mutant ability is linked to personality disorders. The research has proven promising thus far.’” Eleni rolled her eyes and Travis grunted. “At least he can’t try to claim I’m a sans.” The term meant nothing to Eleni, but she didn’t ask for clarification. She did give Travis a sympathetic look. 

A few weeks back, just after Tracy’s visit, Travis had starting sharing stories about teacher’s targeting him. Eleni hadn’t believed them at first, coming to the conclusion he was a bit paranoid. Given the young man’s status, she thought he was untouchable. As she took in the stories, however, and noted the subtle cruelty she herself had become adept at weathering, and the edge of bitterness it created, she had re-evaluated that assessment. Now she listened earnestly to Travis’ anecdotes; she didn’t think he shared them with anyone else.

It helped that today the topic also played right into her own plan for their conversation.

“Yeah. I forgot to mention this one, but Professor Grey once mentioned bringing in a friend of his who was a truth teller to demonstrate the theory of ‘the knowing lie.’ To see if we could get away with a lie. He looked at me the whole time he threatened the assignment.” Travis rolled his eyes. Eleni continued laughing as if it didn’t really matter. “To be honest, it didn’t make much sense to me. He was going to catch everyone in a lie, right?”

Travis tilted his head, and disgust flashed across his face.

“He was going to take advantage of your ignorance. It was a ploy to embarrass you. But he was bluffing – no truth teller would take time to visit a high school, not for what they make for an hour of their time.” Eleni had done the math at the time, and come to the same conclusion so she hadn’t put more thought to it. She had been too caught up in absorbing all the other idiosyncrasies of the UpMountain to dwell on it. Now, however, it gave her a useful segue into a topic she needed clarified.

“Take advantage of my ignorance…because I would say something wrong, but the truth teller would pick it up as true since my knowledge was faulty.”

“Exactly. ‘The knowing lie.’ You can’t lie about something you don’t know about.”

“Right.” Eleni said. That made sense. “Wouldn’t they pick up the uncertainty, though?”

“Some can, but not all. An empath would.” 

“Could I have said I just forgot?” Travis gave her something akin to her own flat stare. 

“You know that wouldn’t have worked.”

“Why not? If you don’t remember something in the moment…then you don’t know it for that moment. People forget things all the time.”

“Elle,” Travis’ eyes scrunched with doubt, “that’s only if you honestly forget. You can’t say that for a quiz when you are actively trying to remember. Saying you forgot will register as a lie, unless you remember learning the information and honestly cannot recall it. Better to be drunk or on something.”

“Yeah.” She nodded thoughtfully, tucking the information that intoxicants messed with truth telling away. “You know, living DownMountain, I never thought about stuff like this. It was all so distant. Are there any other cases where a truth teller can’t….tell the truth?”

Travis sat back, and evaluating look on his face. Eleni suppressed a spike of panic.

“You really don’t watch TV, do you? Truth telling and when it fails is a guaranteed plot line. They’ve explored all the scenarios. And then some.” An eye roll accompanied the last muttered comment. Focusing on Eleni again, Travis laughed slightly at her ignorance. Eleni, however, relaxed: she had told him she didn’t watch TV. “You getting nervous about being with Summers?”

Eleni twisted her lips, then nodded slightly.

“And, you’re asking me because of my uncle, aren’t you?” Another nod. Travis sighed, and sat back a bit. “I’ll warn you, if you spend a lot of time thinking about this stuff, it can get pretty stressful. For a period of my life, I tried learning the tactics, but found it exhausting. If it concerns you…it might be better not to be in a relationship with someone who can truth-tell.” Eleni ignored the warning; she was already past that point.

“OK. I get that. What did you learn, though?” She asked. Travis shrugged, accepting her commitment to the effort.

“Being prepared to provide an answer that will satisfy without having to lie is a big part of it. Phrasing makes a huge difference. If you keep things vague, it will be harder for a truth teller to sense a lie. Side stepping a topic, or commenting on something else to avoid speaking a lie, these are also common tactics. But if you are being questioned directly, those won’t cut it, of course.”  
“Sounds like politics.” Elen murmured. Travis’ eyes went up.

“You don’t watch TV but you follow politics?”

“Not really. But…I mean…politicians.” Travis smiled wryly, acknowledging her point. “Anyway, what you are saying is that if you are being questioned directly, your screwed, but in casual conversation you need to watch yourself?”

“Yup."

“Anything else?”

“Um…nothing that would apply to you.”

“Like what. I’m curious.” Travis shrugged.

“Try to make it a joke.”

“What?”

“It doesn’t work for everyone, but some people when they joke, their mind is sort of suspended from reality, or something. It’s not quite understood it, but the connection to what is true and what is false loosens in their mind, and as such truth tellers have a difficult time discerning the lies” Eleni thought about this for a minute.

“Joking is often a process of undermining the norm. Or telling stories. I suppose that makes sense. Huh.” She murmured to herself, nodding slightly. Then she looked back at Travis. “Anything else?”

“There are group tactics as well, because, as you know, it has to be a ‘knowing lie’.” 

“What do you mean?”

“If only some people in a group are aware of the information, the others will pass a truth test. Polaris Reborn is the great example. The Shaws and the Cult leaders had managed her so well, she had no idea of the conspiracy they had created with her as the figure head. So, when she was questioned, on many counts she was exonerated. Of course, she had known she was trying to overthrow the Lenshers, so she got put to death anyway.”

“The knowing lie.” Eleni murmured, understanding the concept better. “You don’t know that you are lying. Do people ever manipulate their minds to create that?”

“There are various methods to temporarily forget, and there is evidence that that works. But you need to know the exact moment when you will be questioned and time the drugs or whatever you are using correctly. And…it’s not good for the brain.” Eleni shook her head, dismissing that. Travis hadn’t gotten her meaning.

“No, but I mean, can people convince themselves that something is not true? Not forgetting, not using drugs.”

Travis looked at her strangely.

“No. If someone knows something is or isn’t true, for example that they did or did not do something, or if something did or did not happen to them, it will register as a lie if they try to say the opposite.”

“But, what if people convince themselves that it is true.” Travis continued to shake his head. 

“People have tried, Elle, it doesn’t work, and it is especially bad for the brain. And in cases where someone is convinced something is true when everyone knows it is not, because, say, it is impossible, then there is only one logical conclusion.” Eleni reached that conclusion quickly, but waited a moment before voicing it out loud. 

“That they are crazy.” Travis nodded, eyebrows raised. 

“And then people are going to doubt anything they say, truth-teller or no. Truth telling is unreliable on someone who is insane.” He finished, taking the thought to its logical end. Eleni decided the topic was exhausted, and didn’t bother to point out that the idea was that no one else would know which was truth and which was lie, so you wouldn’t look insane.

“So…what are you planning to keep from Summers?” She slowly brought her eyes back to Travis.

“What? No, it’s not like that. But, you know. You get used to having your mental privacy.” She tried to joke.

Travis gave another small laugh.

“I get it. I was worried about my uncle discovering was the fact that I liked to sneak cookies out of the kitchen.” He shook his head at his younger self. “Doing all that research did, however, teach me to move past it, and get on with life. If I got caught, I would cross that bridge when I came to it.”

Eleni sighed. If she got to that point, she suspected there would be no bridge to cross.

**MATTHEW**

“Her head it turned the wrong way!”

Matthew tensed, his eyes snapping away from the book he was reading to the person who had thrown the rude comment at himself and Eleni. A chortling group of teenagers he didn’t recognize were walking away from the patch of green where they were sitting. He felt pressure on his hand, and looked down.

Eleni, lying down with her head resting on his thigh, wasn’t looking at him. Today, lost in the Atrium again, she stared at the sky, as if trying to discern some mystery there. She squeezed his hand again. He didn’t understand how it didn’t bother her, but resolved to let the incident go and get back to his reading, wishing Eleni had simply agreed to hang out at his house as he had suggested.

This afternoon was normally one when Eleni would have been DownMountain, but when he said he was going to risk Madam P’s wrath and skip ballet practice, she had agreed to spend it with him, but insisted on going to the Atrium. While he had looked forward to having some private time together, he had been happy with the idea of an afternoon away from the leers and glares of the other dancers. That illusion had been shattered fairly quickly after they arrived at the enclosed garden.

Matthew sighed heavily, and tried to focus on the fact that, catcalls aside, being together at the Atrium on a real date was nice. Over a month had passed since they had last been there together. Eleni’s love of the green space had only grown over the time they had been apart. He shifted his hand around hers and laced their fingers together.

Looking up from the book a few minutes later, Matthew glimpsed a face he recognized. It quickly turned away, and this time Matthew released Eleni and got up to follow.

“Sorry, Elle. There’s someone I need to talk to.” She sat up and let him go.

Matthew caught Calen just as the young man was about to turn a bend.

“Hey, I haven’t seen you much at lunch. What’s up?” Calen looked sour as he turned to face his schoolmate.

“I have other friends you know.”

“Sure, but you usually come by and say hi.” Craig had been his only companion over the past week, when he had had any.

Calen looked away as if annoyed. “Yeah, well, when you smarten up, maybe I’ll stop by again.”

“This is about Eleni, isn’t it?”

“Of course, it’s about her! What are you doing, man? Bringing her up was bold, and I kind of admired that. But now you are treating her like a girlfriend? What she got that’s so good she can con you into doing that?” Matthew bristled and his lips twisted.

“Don’t talk about her like that.”

“That’s the only way to talk about her, and you better figure that out soon. Look, having a sewer rat on the side is no big deal, right? Herry’s mom has a dick down there, and is always on the lookout for the next when they age out in their mid-twenties. And Elisa’s dad liked his proxy bitch so much he still visits her and there are like 5 kids or something. There’s even a Baron who does it, and I could go on. But her, making you bring her up here, and treat her like she has a right to you? That’s wrong. She’s nothing but a gold digger, man, and they will never let her get her hands on your assets. So, get with reality and stop treating the trash like it’s treasure.”

Matthew reached out and grabbed Calen’s arm roughly. He was too angry for words. The man’s eyes widened in alarm, and he wrenched his arm out of Matthew’s grip. It took some effort.

“Hey, look, I’m just telling you how it is. Shit you should already know. And if you start messing with my mind, you’re done faster than your little trick will bring you down.”

Matthew let Calen go, his stomach ice. He tried to regain some form of calm as he returned to Eleni, but had little success. Her eyes were hooded as she watched him return. 

“Let’s go.” She said. He nodded. It was late afternoon, anyway.

As they left the Atrium they didn’t touch other than their hands occasionally brushing. He had held her hand as they walked to school the day after the aborted attempt to remove the bond, and they had kissed goodbye in the hall. His classmates had not reacted well to either display of affection. Even Craig had given him a sideways suggestion that the relationship might not be the best idea. Matthew had become more hesitant with his public shows of affection since then.

On the closed car ride, he tried to tell himself that it was just his peers showing how they really felt about him. And Eleni. However, he had never realized how, even in his bitterness, the friendly faces, companionable conversations and party invitations had still been welcome.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Eleni’s comment shocked him out of his melancholy. They had left the vehicle and reached the split that would take them in different directions to walk home. She didn’t expect him to accompany her.

He looked down at her face and gritted his teeth, knowing she was reading his mixed feelings through the bond. 

Finally, they were together. It was what he had wanted for so long. Yet their coming together had been anything but celebratory. After that tear stained kiss, they had gone downstairs and held each other on the couch. He hadn’t wanted to talk about his mother, and Eleni hadn’t wanted to talk about them, so they had sat in silence. 

He had bent to kiss her occasionally, needing affirmation that there was more than friendship between them, and that was all they had done until Madam P had come home. He had stayed for dinner, and left shortly after. The first day of their relationship had been steeped more in resigned acceptance and vaguely uncomfortable feelings, than in joy.

Now, on the street, she started to turn away, but he caught her and guided her back for a kiss, wrapping his arms tight around her and trying for a moment to forget everything else and remember how badly he had wanted to be with her. Her arms came up around his neck.

“What if I came for dinner?” The embrace had felt good, but there a tightness in his chest as they pulled away from each other. He wanted their relationship to be better. He hadn’t yet gotten back into the habit of eating dinner with Eleni and Madam P, because of homework and interviews he’d had the past couple of days. Now was a good time to start, he decided.

Eleni shrugged, and, hand in hand, they walked in the direction of Madam P’s house.

As they chatted throughout dinner, after Madam P dressed him down for skipping the afternoon class, he reflected it was one of the few times things felt natural between them. And that was because Madam P was there to distract them from everything else. She, to Matthew’s surprise, seemed delighted that they were together.

After dinner, Matthew and Eleni sat on the couch and silence once again descended. He didn’t make any attempt at conversation. Their conversations, once natural, had become awkward.

Instead, he pulled Eleni close, and kissed her. She kissed him back and he pulled her closer. Holding each other like that, everything was right for a few minutes.

Then there was a spike of sadness, and she pulled back. He hid his own spike of disappointment. Sitting with her back to him, she wrapped his arms around her like a blanket. Matthew tried to set aside his undesirable feelings, and enjoy holding her. After a moment, she spoke.

“This is nice.” He ignored the note of sadness in her voice and held her tighter, reclaiming some of that rightness he had felt moments before to chase it away. His mind grappled to return them to something that felt normal.  
“Have you had any burning questions about the Montagne in the past month?” He joked, referring to their early conversations.

“Actually, yes.” She said, sitting up. She lowered her voice. “What is the Head’s mutant power?”

“He’s an empath. It didn’t come up at the truth telling?”

“No.” Matthew supposed there was no reason it should. Eleni’s brow was wrinkled as she recalled what she knew of the power. “So, he can feel other’s feelings and project his own.” Matthew nodded.

“They say, he is quite powerful which means he could possibly change someone’s emotional reaction to something.” In some instances, that would effectively change their mind.

“I don’t want to meet him again.” Eleni commented, and Matthew felt a mild wave of revulsion wash over her. He tried not to take it personally, though he agreed with the emotion when it was directed at the ruler of the Montagne.

“Well, there’s little chance of that. Anyway, they also say that the hat he wears is a shield. It’s supposed to be a gesture to encourage people to trust him or something.” Matthew thought little of that.

“How is it that Madam P can ask a favor of him? And they were going to have dinner together. That’s unusual, no?” Matthew stayed quiet for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to answer the question honestly.

“He is a patron. A connoisseur of ballet. He attends the opening of our shows when they are good enough to be performed at the Grand Theater. Madam P is one of the most senior and respected members of the dance community UpMountain, even though she only teaches youth performances now. She is often consulted on the major professional productions.” 

“OK. I wish she had warned me ahead of time: I nearly lost my stomach when I realized who he was.” She added. Matthew laughed slightly, and gently pulled her head against his lips. “I have another question.”

“Shoot.” He said.

“What are Tracy Lensher’s abilities, and are there any more Lenshers I should know about? I keep running into them.” Matthew laughed again at her exasperation.

“Tracy can regenerate.”

“Regenerate? Grow a hand or something?”

“If she lost one, yes. It’s self-healing. Her healing ability is also very powerful, and she will live for a very long time.” Eleni fixed her eyes on him.

“And she’s the next Head?”

“Yeah…” Matthew said, his tone laden with meaning. It was a topic people discussed quietly, but frequently in the UpMountain. Eleni nodded, nonplussed.

“Are there any more of them?”

“Just Lady Wanda, Tracy and Travis’ mother. She can create visual distortions. They are very mild I have heard.”

“So, she makes things look different than they are?”

“Like you are seeing them through warped glass. That’s how I’ve heard it described.”

Eleni took this in silently. He pulled her close again.

“We won’t see them. I’ve only been to three events in my life where they were there.”

“Including the performances?”

“No, on top of those. Events where I could actually have a conversation with them, if I had tried.” He hadn’t. Adam avoided the Head as a rule, and Matthew saw no problem in emulating his father. “You might want to spend less time with Travis.” He added, seeing an opportunity.

“He’s helpful.” She stated, not really a protest. “But, I don’t go out of my way to do it, and…well, I think he’s amused that my presence causes other people distress.”

“Really? Actually, I’m not surprised. The time he has spent DownMountain has been a bit of an issue, but if he’s doing it to piss people off, well, he wouldn’t be the first rebel prince.”

“I asked him about it once, and he said that if there was a chance these people would someday be ‘his’ people, then he wanted to know who they were. And you can’t know who someone is unless you have met them.” Eleni paused. “He has a lot of respect for G and what G has done with the Towers.”

“OK, now that is hard to believe. He’s just spoiled. He’ll get bored and realize that his life is really not so bad.” Eleni paused, and he had the sense that her next comment wasn’t what she was actually thinking.

“G doesn’t think so.”

“Yeah, well, G can be surprisingly optimistic about certain things.” Another pause. Then Eleni sat up and turned so that she could see Matthew’s face.

“There’s something else I wanted to ask you.” Matthew was happy to change the subject. “G was there, wasn’t he?” 

And with that the easy atmosphere they had reclaimed was gone. Matthew went still and didn’t respond. She was talking about the day he had been taken by the Montagne. The day they had killed his mother. She had tried to bring it up a few times, and he wished she would stop. 

“He was.” He said no more.

“Maybe you should talk to him.” She suggested.

“I’ll think about it. But I don’t want to talk about it right now.” Eleni nodded, and curling back up besides him, they sat in silence until it was time for Matthew to leave. 

The truth was, Matthew had come to the same conclusion: he needed to talk to his old friend about what he had remembered. However, when G next came to the dance studio, a couple of days later, Matthew wasn’t there.  
He was at his last university interview instead, which was decidedly less welcoming than the previous ones.

“Well, your grades are acceptable. There is no reason why you couldn’t consider joining the law program here.” The professor was stuffy and formal, dressed in a pantsuit, hair pulled back into a bun, and purple eyes peering at him through thick glasses.

“Thank you.” Matthew felt he had to make some reply to the mediocre recommendation he had just received.

“We do expect a certain level of conduct from our students.” The head tipped forward, and the eyes peered at him from over the top glasses. 

“Don’t worry. I would never cause any physical damage to private property,” was Matthew’s pointed response. There had been a news story about several law students who had done serious damage to a club downtown after having too much to drink. The thin lips twisted.

“A little youthful exuberance can be tolerated. Other things cannot.” That was when Matthew realized the person was referring to his relationship with Eleni. The tabloids had come out that morning. His initial shock put him at a loss for words. Belatedly, he felt angry.

“I should be going.” He said curtly. “Thank you for your time.” The professor looked satisfied, and didn’t even stand to see him out.

Matthew stared at the intricate stone pathway as he left the building, trying to manage his anger. It shouldn’t have mattered he told himself; he hadn’t really been considering the law course. It had been Adam’s suggestion, and in truth Matthew had little patience for parsing words to someone else’s rules. He preferred to take them in and discover their meaning on his own.

Still, ire roiled inside him, and he cut into a game of basketball on his way home to burn off some of the irritation. He messaged Eleni to let her know he wouldn’t be coming by, and she message back that G had been there that day and that he had performed a ceremony of mourning for her. Matthew responded with a digital laugh, and waited. There was no response. As he entered his house, he recalled how he and Jenna had always had some kind of conversation going between their motes. He pushed the thought aside. 

Matthew saw G in person at the end of the week. Sure enough, the man was full of ribald jokes for him and Eleni, and Matthew took the brunt of the teasing and stern glances. He half listened and played along, but wished he could speak to G alone. However, Madam P called him to partner with Jenna.

His former girlfriend had been cool towards him in the days since his relationship with Eleni had become clear. They hadn’t danced together over the span of those days. Now, however, she smiled as he approached, and he felt mild relief. They began.

At first, the dancing went as usual, but about halfway through, something strange occurred. He brought her out of a lift and relaxed for the following promenade, but as he touched her hand a thought intruded into his mind.  
“_…that slut has no idea what’s coming. She thinks she’s got him back but there is no way I’m going to stand for that…_” he nearly jerked his hand back, but when Jenna looked at him in alarm, he realized it would make her fall. Focusing, he held on until it was time to release her as he was supposed to. 

He knew it was a telepathic slip, but he had never had one before. He dismissed it as an aberration, and tried to forget the ugly words he had accidently gleaned from his former girlfriend’s brain. Madam P asked them to dance again: his fumble after the slip had been noticed, but nothing untoward occurred when they repeated the performance and they were dismissed after the piece was done.

Returning to his seat, Matthew noted that Eleni had been called up, and he finally had a private moment with G.

“G, there’s something I need to talk to you about.” G picked up on his mood, and took advantage of it.

“Got her pregnant already, did ya? I tried to tell you how babies are made, but you didn’t listen. How can I help?” Matthew gave him a disgusted look.

“You are the last person I’d come to for advice on anything related to love.” He growled. “This is different. And it’s serious.” At that, G gave up and settled down.

“Shoot.” Matthew took a deep breath.

“I’ve remembered something. About the day we were found…on the Wastelands.” The effect on G was immediate. His casual demeanor dropped, and all sign of humor left his face.

“What do you remember?”

“I know they took us, G. The Montagne.” Matthew was shocked when his friend’s face crumpled and his chin shook. Matthew wished he had brought the subject up in private.

“Let’s go to one of the small rooms.” He whispered quickly, pulling his friend up as he stood and exited the auditorium through a door to the left. In the network of hallways behind the stage, there were small practice rooms, as well as a couple even smaller meeting rooms. Matthew took his friend to one of the latter, and locked the door behind them.

G sat on the couch in front of a low table. He had regained some of his composure, and spoke as soon as Matthew sat down next to him.

“So, you remember, now? That these bastards killed our families and took us?” His voice was fierce and bitter. Matthew again reflected on his own lack of reaction, and then his mother’s death. There was anger. But it was old, and hadn’t been fed through the years as G’s had.

“I do. I don’t know why I didn’t see it earlier.” G dismissed that with a wave of his hand.

“You were happy here, Mattie. I think you did it to yourself, first to deal with the trauma, then because it would have made it hard to stomach the gilded life you live up here.” G’s mouth twisted in anger. “I hated you for a while, you know. Not because of the life you had, but because you didn’t remember, and you accepted these people. These monsters who had taken everything from you.” He was nodding his head rapidly, eyes shining again. “When I realized – it took me a while, you know, to connect that the men had been from the Montagne military, but I eventually did – anyway, I tried to talk to you.” G looked directly at Matthew with his next words, a despair in his eyes that tore Matthew’s heart. “You lost it. You ripped me a new one. You were never angry when you were with me after we came here, only hurt and upset, and there you were, 6 years old, and shouting filth at me like the drunk on the corner. From holding it in.” Matthew’s stomach went sour.

“I don’t remember that.” 

“Good. I try to forget it, too.” G took a shaking breath. “But I had Tara to take care of, and anyone I tried to tell told me I was distraught from the experience, or making up stories.” G shook his head in disgust. “So, I gave up. But I never forgot.” Now his face crumpled again. “It’s so good that you know now. That there is someone else who understands.” Matthew moved close and put his arms around his crying friend. That was when he felt the wetness flood his own eyes. Yes, it was good to have someone who understood.

After a while, G pushed him back, waving his hand to indicate he was ok.  
“What else do you remember?” Matthew wiped his eyes and blew his nose before responding.

“Not much. Getting upset. Really upset. When my mom was killed.” G nodded in agreement eyes on the table.

“Yeah, you lost it. Completely. It was affecting the soldiers – you were projecting on to them and they couldn’t manage you.” G glanced at Matthew. “It saved my life.” Matthew didn’t remember anything like that, and looked at G with a question on his face. “You were screaming for me and Jae. I was on the chopping block. There was a gun pointed right at my face. But Jae was unconscious, I think they injected her with something. So, then they grabbed me, and brought me over to you. It calmed you down. That is why they spared me.” Matthew sat in shock at this revelation.

“By the helm, G. I had no idea. I’m so…glad?” What a horrifying thing to be glad for, he observed distantly. “If you weren’t here…” Then what? Matthew didn’t know exactly, but he felt that he would have lost something immense, even in light of everything he now remembered.

They fell silent again.

“Do you remember more about…before we came here? Before the attack?” This question was tentative. G had asked him this question before. The answer hadn’t changed. Matthew shook his head.  
“Just some faces. Tunnels. Rooms.” G nodded and sighed.

“Ah, it’s probably for the best.” He said no more on the subject. “How do you feel about it? About living here, now?”

Matthew shrugged. “This might sound terrible, but not much other than the anger, and sadness. I mean…what can I do? And it doesn’t change the life I lead.” G nodded at that, although Matthew wasn’t sure the man understood fully. It didn’t really matter, he thought. A minute later G reached out to squeeze Matthew’s shoulder.

“I’m glad you remember. You were already copping on, but now you know. Don’t trust this place.” Then his eyes twinkled, and G reverted to his usual obnoxious self. “So, how did you get through to her?” Matthew knew the topic was done.

“What?” He didn’t know what to say.

“Well, your usual methods of simply looking like god’s gift to anyone attracted to men, relying on your terrifyingly delicious reputation, and whatever power it is you have with your eyes, failed completely. You must have pulled out something big.” G looked down suggestively, and Matthew shoved him.

“It just…happened.” He blurted out, thinking fast. G wouldn’t let it go until he had a story, and Matthew was fairly certain Eleni hadn’t given anything up.

“It just…happened?” The large man looked dubious, and looked down again. “Well something ‘just happened’, that’s for sure…” Matthew sighed in exasperation.

“Look. I was getting mixed messages from her. And I was upset that she didn’t want me to know about Dwayne, so I got some time to talk to her about it, and...I don’t know…it just happened.” G looked even more unbelieving about that statement.

“What mixed messages?” He said flatly. Matthew realized that he had understood Eleni’s conflicted feelings mostly through the bond, and even with that he hadn’t been certain. He couldn’t tell G about that. He thought fast.

“It’s hard to explain, but when we were dancing I, well, I felt something from her. It confused me, so I confronted her.” G didn’t buy it.

“It’s that just the mark of a good dancer, which Elle is. You can dance with someone you want to kill and convince the world you are in love with them.” G eyed his friend sideways. “Did you use your powers?”

“No!” Matthew denied forcefully. He hated even the suggestion that he would do such a thing. “Honestly, it was the dancing.” He’d have to grab Eleni, and tell her this story. “What does it matter? We’re together now.” His response was belligerent. He remembered G’s words from a few weeks back. “I supposed you’re going to go tell me it’s not going to work.”

G looked at him appraisingly for a moment.

“Do you know the abuse she’s getting for being with you?” Matthew shrugged, uncomfortable. “Tell me what they do to her.” Matthew looked at him, then looked away. 

“Name calling and stuff like that.” He muttered. Eleni had never been open about it. G’s face took on a haze of disgust. “What do you expect me to do about it? I can’t be next to her all day long! And I’m getting shit, too. People avoid me, I don’t get invited to the parties anymore, I get hints all the time that what I am doing is wrong…” His voice trailed off at the non-sympathetic look on G’s face.

“Ah, poor baby. And Elle’s getting the floor frozen under her, sometimes on the stairs, her clothes get singed, she gets slimed almost daily. Travis fills me in based on what he’s seen.” Matthew looked down. “Have you tried to do anything?” The dancer looked back up and wished he hadn’t. The calmness in G’s gaze was deceptive; Matthew found he couldn’t break eye contact and felt as if the man saw into his soul. He didn’t say anything. G already knew the answer. The large man looked away shaking his head slightly.

“I don’t know, Mattie. I don’t know if it will work.”

The next time Eleni had planned to go DownMountain, she did, and Matthew accompanied her. Scarlet teased them relentlessly and Patches’ face was frozen in a permanent glare.

“So, Elle, is it as good as they say? Come on, now. Don’t hold back.” Tray grinned, though she also tried to appear nonchalant. Patches’ scowl deepened. Bright was not there; their grandmother had fallen ill, and they weren’t able to help out at the Towers as frequently. It also meant that they weren’t making it UpMountain.

“It would take too long to do Matthew proper justice.” Eleni said apologetically, “And I have a class to teach. Sorry!” She disappeared into the room where they taught their pick up ballet classes. Kids of various ages were entering as well. Matthew went to follow, but Scarlet caught him by the arm.

“She ain’t glowing. You got to try harder, Summers.” She growled, then winked. “I’m here to give pointers if you’d like.” Matthew disengaged his arm, and followed Eleni into the room with alacrity.

After the class, G led them and the few older teens who were hanging out at the Towers on one of his regular missions in the Sewers. That day, they were visiting Katya’s Locker.

Matthew looked around, uncomfortable, as they passed under the handmade sign where someone had crossed out a ‘T’ and replaced it with an ‘R’, giving the district its name. Eleni had been a few times already. The inhabitants of the most run-down part of the already run-down Sewers lived in rooms in the decrepit buildings, or sometimes on the street, rarely changed their clothes, and were all waiting for the next high. Mushrooms, easy to obtain and cheap, were the drug of choice down here.

Matthew didn’t understand it. The rest of the DownMountain population kept going, taking what the Montagne provided and living their lives. These people, in spite of all that was available to them, had given up.

The group had stopped by the public cafeteria on the way and picked up boxes of food, which they now wheeled in front of them in large barrows. They made their way through the 4 blocks, handing what they had out to people on the street, or knocking on doors and leaving boxes if someone answered. 

“There was nothing like this where I came from.” Eleni murmured under her breath. Given her previous descriptions, Matthew was not surprised to hear that.

“Yeah, if they’d just get up, they’d see all they need for a basic life is there.” Matthew mumbled. Eleni looked at him sideways. “Well it is. The Montagne provides housing, food, medical care, and will find them work.” He professed.

Eleni was quiet for a long moment.

“G thinks that part of the blame for their situation falls on all mutants within the Montagne. Even if they should do those things, they would have to face the constant pressure of people who think they are less.”

“But you face that all the time. I get some of it! We don’t shut down like this.”

“Yes, I get it.” She was quiet again, handing out another box to someone living in a makeshift tent in the street. Her feelings went flat, almost hollow. Matthew had never felt that from her before. “I understand very well how it feels for people to believe you shouldn’t have existed.” It was simply a statement, bald in its subtle but pervasive violence.

Matthew didn’t know how to respond. He admitted to himself that he couldn’t understand that. Even with his discomfiting origin, he was wanted. 

“G! My boy!” A rough voice called over, and the large man complied to the call. A moment later he motioned for Eleni and Matthew to join him.

“Elle, Mattie, this is Jax. He was wondering who the two beautiful people were.”

“A sight for sore eyes indeed.” The man said. He was lounging on some steps outside one of the run-down buildings. His skin was rough and mottled, and there were odd protrusions poking out throughout his clothing. Matthew didn’t like the way Jax’s gaze shifted between himself and Eleni. 

“Hey, G, we should keep going. There’s more food to hand out.” Matthew didn’t want to linger here. G complied with a final greeting to Jax. 

“You take care of yourself, man.”

“Go to the airlocks, G. Just remember that. Go to the airlocks.”

Matthew rolled his eyes as they walked away. Eleni picked up on his annoyance, and gave him a curious glance. 

“What?” He waited until G was out of hearing.

“It’s that phrase. Superstitious nonsense. I asked about it UpMountain after G told it to me when we were kids, and there is no protocol to evacuate to the airlocks anymore if some catastrophe should hit. I wish they wouldn’t encourage it.” Eleni nodded, accepting his explanation.

“That man, Jax, didn’t look so good. It looked like his leg was broken.”

“That’s his mutation.” Matthew explained. Eleni’s face reflected mild shock. “It’s actually fairly common. Those are bones, and some who have the mutation can control their growth, even do things with the bones. But most of the time, it is more random.”

“You say it’s fairly common, but I’ve never seen anyone that bad.” She probably had, DownMountain, but that wasn’t where she spent most of her time now.

“There’s procedures people can get, to minimize the growth. It’s a specialty UpMountain, procedures for those with mutations that prove…unfortunate.”

“UpMountain.” Eleni echoed. The conversation ended there.

A few minutes later the food was dispersed, and they headed back to the Towers. There, Matthew towed Eleni upstairs, but not to dance. They looked with nostalgia at the ballroom and did a few steps as Matthew led them to one side of the floor. The side from which he knew no one could see them.

“It seems like so long ago.” Eleni murmured. Matthew realized this was the first time they had been back here together since she had moved UpMountain. That day he had just realized his feelings for Eleni, and now they were back as a couple. His sense of victory spilled into enthusiasm as he pulled her close and kissed her.

They sat by the wall, and held each other. And kissed. Matthew thought that his plan to find another place where he and Eleni could be alone for a bit, a place where she might be able to let go of the nervousness that plagued her, had worked. Until she pulled away again. She repositioned herself so that her head was against his shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around her, not trying to hide his disappointment. They sat like that until it was time to leave for the train.

A few days later, on a Holday Eve, Matthew gazed at Eleni out of the corner of his eye as they made their way to the District for dinner. She had tried to get out of the date, but Matthew had persevered.

He had made reservations at one of his favorite restaurants, a smaller one given Eleni’s hesitation about being too public. When they arrived that evening, however, it appeared there had been a mistake.

“I do apologize, but I don’t see a reservation here and we are very busy tonight.” Matthew stared at the hostess, then at the several empty tables visible in the restaurant behind her.

“I called two days ago and spoke with someone,” whom he suspected had been this very hostess, “she said everything was all set.”

“And yet there is no reservation.” The hostess held the reservation book close to her as if it was a precious child. Matthew started to demand to see it, when Eleni touched his arm and shook her head. They left.

He looked down at Eleni as they walked away. She was dressed in tightly fitting dark pants, and a loose blousy top that fell to her hips and swayed against her slight form. Madam P must have lent her some jewelry because in addition to the silver bracelet she always wore at her wrist, she had on a silver necklace lined with large moonstones at the bottom, and matching earrings. The scarf on her head was grey with silver threads shot through. She looked beautiful.

He had looked forward to being out with her, spending some time together having a good time. She looked up at him.

“Maybe there is somewhere else we can go?” He nodded vaguely, there were other places of course. Being Holday Eve, however, most of them would be booked up. He directed Eleni towards a take-out place. 

“We can take it back to my place.” He offered.

“Or, the Atrium.” She countered. Matthew didn’t object: the Atrium at night was romantic, and they turned in that direction.

“Why do you never fight it? Here, at school?” he finally asked as they walked, still trying to manage his own disappointment at his aborted plans.

“It’s not worth it.” He had heard that before.

“Why?” 

“Because no one is on my side here.”

“I am.” She laughed out a breath.

“Sure. But, you’re not in a position to make people change how they act.”

“Who is?” Eleni paused.

“The people who make the rules, and those who enforce them.” She said after a minute. “They are the ones I have to watch out for the most.”

“Like the principal?” Matthew asked, recalling the cadet’s attack, and the principal’s response. Eleni nodded.

“And the administrators and teachers, if we are talking about school. They are the ones who matter: the ones with the power. And no matter the truth, they will go out of their way to put me in the wrong.” She was quiet for a minute, and Matthew digested this information. He was surprised when she spoke again. “I did, when I was younger, try to defend myself a few times. And I learned that makes it worse. They used my defense against me, as evidence of further guilt: my resistance was proof that I was volatile and unpredictable, and therefore I must have done something to provoke the prank. Keeping my head down made things better for me.” He felt deep hurt and anger bound by resignation through the bond, and focused on that instead of his own guilt and discomfort.

“Elle, I....” She was holding this in all the time? He saw her wipe her hand across her eyes, stopped and drew her to him, ignoring the fact that they were in the middle of the street. They were on the border of the entertainment districts, on quieter street, but groups of partiers came by every few moments. 

“I just…don’t think about it too much.” She murmured against his shoulder. He sensed she was trying to reassure him.

His conversation with G intruded on his thoughts. What was he doing? What should he do? What could he do? Eleni wasn’t asking him to do anything, so perhaps he should just be a source of comfort for her, treat her as well as he could. All while she was denied, relegated and abused for where they thought she was from and for being with him. 

He identified the feeling lurking in his stomach as a combination of reluctance, hopelessness and guilt. He hated it.

After a minute, Eleni pulled away. They walked on in silence until they reached the eating establishment. A short while later, food in hand, they made their way onward with the vague destination of the Atrium.

“It looks like I’m getting some of what they’ve given you all along.” While the take out place had served them, the server had glared at Matthew the entire time, and the order was wrong. “It sucks.” He said quietly. 

“They don’t want us together.” Eleni commented.

“It’s none of their business. I mean, the kids at school are one thing. But this?” He replied, holding up the food he hadn’t asked for. Eleni spoke again after a moment’s silence.

“Travis talked to me after we got together.” Matthew scowled. “He told me some concrete reasons why us dating is troubling, beyond my not being UpMountain. There were two things. The first was that genetic material is valued here. The ‘Collective Genetic Makeup’, right? They have a database of everyone’s genes and use it to…encourage, certain pairings?” She glanced at Matthew, and he nodded stiffly. “They want you to marry someone, who comes from a limited number of specific someone’s, all UpMountain and make powerful children. And you are at an age where you should be dating someone you might marry.” 

Matthew looked away, uncomfortable. He and Jenna had been happy to learn they were compatible. Thinking about that felt like peering into a different life now.

Eleni continued. “But that’s not all. There’s the vineyard. Since you two are adopted, apparently there is an opportunity for other families to claim it in full.”

“Jae and I are set up to inherit the vineyard jointly.” Matthew replied, curtly. 

Eleni was quiet for a moment, “Travis said there are rules about how assets are distributed.” Matthew didn’t answer

“Elle, let’s talk about something else.” He wanted to tell her to stop talking to Travis, but knew better now. 

They fell silent, though that only led Matthew to remembering Jenna’s hints that she would rescind her claim on her family’s hydroponics in favor of the vineyard. Her father, Devon, had often asked about the management of the asset in companionable conversation. 

Eleni glanced at him out of the corner of her eye from time to time. He sensed regret and annoyance tinged with frustration through the bond.

“Matthew, remember you suggested we go to a concert a while back? Would there be anything like that tonight?” He looked at her, surprised, but happy for the change of subject. He thought quickly. The large venues would be booked up but some of the smaller, more casual ones would probably have room. Matthew was game for anything that would improve their current mood.

“We can go look.” They found a bench and quickly ate their food before backtracking into the theater district.

A half-hour later, they were listening to a woman and her piano. The music was raw and forceful, not the type Matthew usually sought out. Eleni sat on the steps that served as seats in front of him, leaning back into him. His arms were around her. As he listened, he tried to find some simple contentment, but with the events and conversation of the evening, it eluded him. He settled for relief that Eleni seemed to be enjoying herself, and tried not to think about anything else.

After, they took the close car home then walked back to Madam P’s hands clasped in the darkness. 

“Can I come in?” he asked when they arrived, and he turned to face her.

“It’s late.” She replied quietly. “Maybe tomorrow.” Disappointed, he leaned his forehead on hers, then angled in to kiss her. She assumed it was one of their brief good bye kisses, but he followed when she pulled back and caught her lips again. She hesitated, then leaned into the kiss and it lingered. Her hands caressed his neck briefly, then her arms were around him pulling him closer.

He held her tight, feeling her curves against his lines. In that moment he recognized how much he wanted her; he wanted their relationship to work and not be damned to the purgatory they had been moving in these past two weeks. He didn’t know how to do that, but he tried to communicate his feelings through their kiss.

Then, he was no longer kissing Eleni. In his mind’s eye, he was holding a blond, solidly built young man. He had an impression of a stubbornly passionate nature, also capable of empathy and change. Grey eyes held his, and he stood in shock before he realized that Eleni had stepped away from him and was speaking.

“…didn’t work out how you wanted, but I had a good time tonight, Matthew.” She squeezed his hand and looked up at him. “Let’s practice together tomorrow.” He nodded numbly, and watched her enter the house but barely saw her.

Later, lying in his bed, he wondered at how someone else’s memory could take his breath away. The experience put Eleni’s hesitations in a new light, but that wasn’t what he lingered on. His thoughts kept returning to how utterly in love with the blond man he had been in that moment. The longer he dwelt on it, the more he understood why: he wanted Eleni to feel that way about him.


	20. Chapter 19

**MATTHEW**

The next morning, Matthew met Eleni with fresh eyes. He drew her close and kissed her carefully.

He had spent much of the previous night remembering the feeling of her love, and wondering what this other man had done to win it so completely. He had found himself tallying up the points that he and Eleni had that surely she couldn’t have shared with the other man: their shared grief, their love of dancing, the many times they had comforted each other for things no one else could know.

And of course, both being mutants. He wondered if Eleni had shared that truth with the man from the Citadel. The idea of her with a non-mutant was slightly discomforting, but he acknowledged that she had had no other options.

Eleni pulled back with a question in her eyes. He took her hand and they started walking. After a moment, he spoke.

“I wanted to be with you so badly after we met. For months. And then, when we started avoiding each other, I missed you like crazy.” He glanced down at her. “Now, we’re finally together, and there’s all this other stuff going on – me remembering…about my mom, what Dwayne did to you, how they treat us for being together…” He gritted his teeth for a moment, but managed to push his frustration aside and say what he wanted to say. “But, I still want to be with you. I want this – us – and I want it to be better for us.”

She was quiet for a moment, and he felt an echo of…longing from her.

“I missed you, too.” Once he figured out what she was referring to, the quietly spoken comment put Matthew’s heart at ease. He stopped walking, and gently pulled her back to him when she kept going. He kissed her only briefly, and then just held her, feeling her arms wrap around him.

“Let’s skip school today.” He whispered. He could take her to the vineyard. As suddenly as the idea had arisen, it was quashed.

“I couldn’t. Madam P does so much for me, and that would abuse her trust.” He rested his forehead on hers. If any comments were yelled at them as they embraced, for once he didn’t hear them.

Holding hands again they went on, and he decided on a decent alternative to skipping school.

That was why he was waiting for her at a table when she entered the cafeteria for lunch.

“Where are you supposed to be?” She asked mildly as she put her bag down and sat next to him.

“Geneology and Genetics.” He said succinctly, and the brief but satisfied smirk on her face told him he should do this again.

Lunch was short, however. The cat calls he dealt with decently well, but the occasional piece of food that made it their way were more difficult to ignore. When they finished their meals he convinced her to leave the cafeteria, which was technically against the rules, and he took her to the library. The stacks of bound volumes still seemed to baffle her, but he showed her a new use for the dimly lit aisles.

When the signal bell sounded in the distance, he tried to get her to stay a few more minutes.

“I’ll lose my seat,” she said in a rushed whisper as she twisted away from him.

“What?”

“The seat by the door. It’s the safest.” Bothered by that information, and the fact that he hadn’t known it already, he jogged besides her to her next class. Once she confirmed her seat was still available, she gave him a quick kiss and entered the room. He walked slowly to his own class wondering what other concessions Eleni made throughout her day to make it more bearable.

When classes were over, Matthew was waiting when Eleni emerged from the school. 

“How was the rest of your day?” He asked as he went to drape his arm around her waist. 

He didn’t hear her reply as his hand encountered fabric that was crusty and hard.

“What’s that?!” He exclaimed, pulling back.

“Dried slime.” Eleni responded flatly. “It comes out easily.”

“How often does that happen?” 

“Nearly every day. I’m used to it.” Matthew thought of the other things G had said she was dealing with.

“What else happened today?” She shrugged.

“I’d rather not dwell on it.”

Matthew was quiet for a moment, still thinking of G’s words.

“Elle, I want to know. Maybe there is something I can do.” She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

“No, there’s not.”

“Why not?” She shook her head.

“What would you do?”

“I don’t know. Maybe ask them to stop.”

“Think it through. Someone else will take their place, and you’ll end up looking like a fool.” Matthew wasn’t sure about that, but stopped pressing. He took a different angle.

“And this all stopped when we weren’t spending time together?” She paused, glancing at him.

“Mostly.”

“Mostly.” He echoed absently, looking away. He reached over and rested his hand at her hip, ignoring the dried slime. They were silent the rest of the way to the dance school.

The next day, Craig joined Matthew at lunch. 

“Fraternizing with the outcast?” Matthew said, joking and not joking. He had started to wonder why Craig still sat with him.

“Whatever, man. You’re cool.” Was the answer he got.

“But not for dating Eleni.” Matthew stated. Craig shrugged. “What?”

“It’s…weird. But, she’s a ballerina, so I suppose…” Matthew realized his friend was trying to rationalize his unacceptable relationship. Crag laughed slightly with his next comment. “You’re kind of like Travis, now.” That was no compliment.

“She’s in Ebony’s class, right? What if the four of us hung out together?” Craig had just taken a bite of his sandwich, and chewed slowly before responding.

“That wouldn’t go well.” He said, once he swallowed. “Ebb’s got a bee in her bonnet about the sewer rat.”

“Her name’s Eleni.” Matthew replied tersely.

“Sorry.” Craig took another bite and glanced away. 

Matthew thought about the things he had done with Jenna. “Where is the party this Holday?” He tried again, testing. “Maybe we’ll go.” 

Now Craig looked at him.

“That’s a bad idea, and you know it. Anyway, I haven’t heard about any party yet.” He didn’t offer to tell Matthew when he did. “Can we talk about something else?”

Matthew thought about his friends’ reactions. He supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised. What had he thought they would do?

Both G and Travis showed up at the next open dance session. Matthew took a moment when Eleni was practicing to sit with them.

“G, what exactly happens to Eleni at school?”

“The pranks you mean?”

“Yes. I tried to ask her, and she didn’t want to talk about it. You mentioned some stuff the other day. Is there more?” G glanced at Travis, and then responded.

“There’s the sliming, the floor getting frozen underneath her, her clothes getting singed, sometimes her stuff disappears, a few times she’s gotten wet…” G paused, thinking.

“Those are the ones I’ve figured out. It’s the same people over and over.” Travis elaborated. Matthew met his eye. He was pretty sure he knew who they were, too.

“Do you have a piece of paper and a pen?” Travis took them from his bag, and handed them to Matthew. Matthew wrote down a few names, while G supplied a couple more pranks. Matthew handed the list back to Travis who reviewed it, and nodded his agreement.

“Man, I bet those families would hate to be without their wine.” G mumbled, looking over Travis’ shoulder. It took a second for Matthew to connect the comment with their current activity. He started to respond, then glanced at Travis. The young man handed the list back, and stood up.

“I should get to chess club. They miss me if I stay away too long.” The second part he said sourly, as he eased himself out of the row. Relieve, Matthew turned to G once the younger man had left.

“That’s illegal, isn’t it?”

“What? I know how much people up here love their wine. It was just a comment.” He eyed Matthew. “Hey, twinkle toes, aren’t you supposed to be dancing?”

That night, Matthew went home with Adam for dinner, and brought the list to the table with him. Adam saw him looking at it.

“What do you have there?” Matthew fingered the corner, the picked it up and put it down on the table near his father.

“These people are pranking Eleni, a lot. I,” he sighed at his failure so far, “I was trying to think of a way I could stop them.” Adam looked at his son warily.

“Matthew, don’t even think of using your powers. You are already on thin ground. If you step too far, they will require you to join the military university.” Young mutants who persisted in misusing their abilities usually ended up there. Matthew grimaced.

“No, I didn’t consider that.” Not really. “Anyway, with me leaving for university in the new year, whatever I do achieve will likely be forgotten in January.” Adam nodded in agreement, then reached down and picked up the list. After perusing it for a minute, he sat back in his chair and his eyes narrowed. Matthew had never seen his father look so calculating.

“They are all customers.” Adam finally said. Matthew tensed slightly. He had thought about G’s veiled suggestion, but it had seemed coarse to suggest it. He was glad that the man seemed to be thinking along the same lines.  
Matthew cleared his throat, but Adam spoke first. “As you know, our business can be unpredictable at times. Lost harvests, batches that unexpectedly go bad, accidents…”

“Like Jae…” Matthew said in a low voice, and Adam gave a small, pained laugh. She had once shown how large her energy blasts could be a bit closer to a warehouse than she should have. The joke cleared the air a bit, and both men relaxed.

“Come with me to the vineyard this Holday, and we’ll make some phone calls.” Matthew nodded, and a handful of days later he was checking the vines, now dormant in the cold months, with the workers who cared for the plants and kept the vineyard in order.

“You hold on to that young woman, you hear.” An old woman spoke next to him, surprising him. “I talked to G, and she’s a good one. A real person, as opposed to the cookie cutters you have UpMountain. She’ll keep your heart true, Mattie.” Startled, Matthew didn’t know what to say, but the woman just patted his cheek and moved on.

His family had a good relationship with their workers, and the woman’s familiarity was not a surprise. The topic was, though it was a relief to hear someone speak positively about his relationship with Eleni for once.

Matthew moved away from the vine, and walked up the row to the warehouse where the office was located. To his right, rows of vines marched down the slope towards the edge of the mountain wall, which held massive windows to allow as much natural sunlight in as possible. They could be opened as well, and were, with a watchfulness for the weather, as the family had discovered that it greatly improved the flavor of the grapes. Nonetheless, the cavern ceiling was also dotted with sun lamps to supplement the limited natural light.

To the left, at the top of the slope, was a medium sized house, a cottage where they occasionally stayed to alleviate the two-hour trip it took to travel here from the UpMountain. It took closer to two and a half hours for those from the DownMountain, and Adam had had a dormitory built to ease the stress on the workers. Adam was adamant that his workers stick to a six-hour work day at most, not including the train ride. The Montagne allowed 14-hour work days, the argument being it included the commute which ranged from and hour and a half to 3 hours one way. Even with the dorms, many of their workers returned home each day.

Reaching the warehouse, Matthew made his way through the stacks of stored product. In spite of the face he had spent far less time here in the past year, he nonetheless didn’t bother knocking on the office door, falling back into a familiar routine. When he met the scene of his father and a woman quickly disengaging themselves from each other he realized that he should have.

“Uh, I’m sorry.” He started to back out, confused. His father was adamant that he would never marry, and Matthew had never seen him with a romantic partner.

“It’s ok, Mattie. Xena, I’ll come find you later, ok?” She assented, looking at Matthew uncomfortably, then accepted Adam’s brief kiss before leaving.

“I didn’t think you ever wanted to be with someone again.” Matthew said once the door was closed. “After Katyana.” Adam, a bit chagrined but otherwise calm, gestured that Matthew should pull up a seat by the desk.

“I said I wouldn’t marry. I won’t play by the UpMountain’s rules on that matter. And, I knew near perfect happiness and destroyed it with my own hands. I know better than to try and replicate that again. No, I won’t marry. But,” the chagrin grew, “I’m only human.”

“So, you’re having affairs with our workers.” As the woman had walked by him, he had recognized her from the fields. “Is it some sort of proxy birth thing?”

“No!” Adam looked disgusted. “Matthew, I’m hurt you could even think I’d do that. No.” He regained some calm. “It’s just two adults, enjoying each other’s company and finding some comfort with each other. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Except that you keep it hidden from the UpMountain.” A distinct difference between what his father was doing and what he was doing with Eleni.

“I wouldn’t want to put her through that.”

“Then…you think that what I am doing with Elle is wrong.” Adam paused, understanding how Matthew was seeing his relationship.

“No, but that situation is different. Eleni is living UpMountain.”

“But she is not UpMountain. Something everyone lets us know every chance they get.” He thought he had had that message down prior to meeting Eleni, but now knew better. “It works for you to keep her here.”  
Adam sighed. “I supposed you are right. But I am upfront with them.” 

“Them?”

“I’ve had three relationships like this. And all at different times.” He threw a warning look at what his son. The man started ticking items off on his fingers, “I tell them what I had with Katyana, what I did to destroy it,” He looked directly at Matthew, “Several women have walked away at that.” He moved on to his next finger. “I tell them I have no interest in marrying anyone, UpMountain or Down. I tell them that I want to keep it quiet, but that I will make time for them when I am here.”

“Make time…” Matthew muttered under his breath. Adam pinned him with a hard gaze.

“As I said, I’m only human. But it is not only about sex, though. Sure, that is one of the goals. We also spend time together at the house, have meals together, watch movies together, talk. And I only pursue it when there is mutual interest.”

“Have they all ended well?” Adam grimaced.

“The second time it didn’t. She wanted more, despite what I told her at the start, and in the end couldn’t bear working here anymore. I set her up with a pension, as I couldn’t attest to how she would be treated at the other production units.” Matthew’s father spread his hands. “I ask after her and hear she is doing well.”

“And if this one ends badly?”

“Then I’ll do the same. I do promise that I will take care of them and we can afford it. Anyway, I have found that there is really no price you can place on a sympathetic heart and a bit of human comfort. Especially when you once had so much more, and lost it.” Adam’s eyes went distant and sad, and Matthew wanted to leave the topic behind. But one thing still bothered him.

“Do you think I’m making a mistake with Eleni?”

“That’s up to you to decide. Do you think I am making a mistake with these women?”

Matthew shrugged. He wasn’t sure. But he did want to know how his father felt about Eleni.

“I mean it, dad. I’ve had some doubts about my relationship with Eleni.” It was hard to say that out loud. “But I still want to be with her. I don’t know what to do.”

“So that is why we are here today then, right? Make those doubts less pressing? Take a bit of pressure off of yourself?” Matthew hadn’t seen it that way.

“That wasn’t…I mean, I honestly was only thinking of Eleni. But, I guess when you say it like that, sure it would take some pressure off me, too.”

Adam nodded. “Well then, let’s get too it. This is business, so remember to keep it distant. Personable but not personal. A vague reference to how their child has taken an interest in the new girl at school should be enough.” 

Matthew didn’t realize until later that his father hadn’t answered his question.

The next couple of weeks, Matthew waited impatiently to see if their efforts had paid off. He always put his arm around Eleni when they met after school and noticed that the days she was slimed dropped off. When Travis showed up at the dance school again, Matthew asked him if Eleni was still slipping in the halls, and the young lord reported that it seemed to be happening less frequently. Matthew allowed himself to feel some satisfaction, but held off full relief until he got confirmation from the source. He suspected Eleni wouldn’t be completely comfortable with the independent action he had taken, and planned to tell her after a bit of time had passed. So, he waited.

A week into December, Matthew and Eleni sat side by side in the dance school auditorium. The excitement in the room was a physical thing. Madam P would be announcing the annual ballet any minute now. Matthew sat beside Eleni in the seats a short distance away from the other dancers who sounded more like a swarm of bees with their incessant and nervous chatter.

“A real ballet.” Eleni mumbled next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. “I still can’t believe this is happening.”

“Believe it.” And you and I will be the leads, he willed to himself. 

Madam P had started giving them extra instruction in the evenings. Matthew had welcomed it as dancing with Eleni was the one consistently good thing in his days; all the other concerns and complications melted away then. Not that those sessions had been all fun; Madam P was rigorous with them and Matthew suspected she was preparing them for the auditions, though she never said as much. 

“They didn’t do big performances where you learned?” He asked Eleni, finding it strange that she had never been in a real ballet given her level of ability. She shook her head.

“It’s not that. Being a bastard…”

“Ah.” He pulled their heads together and rested his forehead on hers. “Their loss.” He said quietly. 

The buzzing dropped off suddenly as Madam P finally entered, and gave her students a stern glance. She surveyed them for a moment before starting. Matthew thought her eyes rested on Eleni a moment longer than everyone else.

“My students. First, I want to express how impressed I am with all of you. You come here because you have discovered a love of dancing. But love alone is not enough for a solid foundation in your passion. It takes dedication, a careful understanding of yourself and your fellow dancers, as well as a desire to maintain the highest level of quality you can achieve. I am proud to say that I see that in all of you here. You are one of the best classes of students I have seen in my lifetime. I look forward to seeing you demonstrate that to our patrons and guests in this year’s ballet.”

The teacher took a deep breath before continuing.

“And that ballet is to be…Swan Lake.”

Matthew was silent with shock. His eyes sought his father, who was looking tense but unsurprised, and he knew Madam P had told the other teachers ahead of time. 

The buzz arose again in the auditorium but with an edge of excitement now, and perhaps disbelief. Swan Lake was one of the most difficult ballets; a challenge had been set before them. A challenge that hadn’t been set for a generation. The last time Swan Lake had been chosen, Adam had performed the role of the prince. It was the last role he had ever performed on stage.

Matthew took in a deep breath, and glanced down at Eleni. Her eyes were shining.

“Oh, Matthew, what are the chances…?” 

“Good, really good!!!” He said, understanding even though she didn’t finish her question. “We’re doing this together.” Staring into his eyes, she hesitated, then slowly her face broke out in a smile. It looked almost painful as it blossomed on her face, and her eyes shone with tears, but he knew through the bond that was because she was letting herself hope. He knew, somehow, in that moment that she never let herself indulge in that feeling. A chill cloaked in sadness passed over him, but he grabbed his girlfriend’s hand and stood up to shake it off.

“Let’s start practicing.” 

They practiced together the entire afternoon, and Matthew stayed for dinner in the evening, as did Adam. At the table, the older man brought up an issue Matthew hadn’t considered.

“Natalya, will there be any objections to Mattie auditioning?” Matthew looked up and there was a spike of alarm from Eleni.

“Why would that be a problem?” He asked. Madam P raised her eyebrows.

“You have technically aged out.” Matthew sat with his mouth open for a moment. Recalling himself, he snapped it shut and glanced at Eleni who looked worried.

“Would someone keep him from auditioning for that?” Madam P waved her hand.

“I find it hard to believe. Anyway, Matthew doesn’t officially graduate from high school until after the auditions. That should be enough to get him in.” Matthew nodded.

“I’ll be there,” he said as he gave it a squeeze.

And indeed he was. One of the other dance schools raised the point of his age, but the fact that he was technically still in high school, as of the audition, proved sufficient proving Madam P right. So, they practiced and prepared.

“So, where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” It was Matthew’s third try at spending an evening out with Eleni, and he was hopeful that it would be the first they would be able to enjoy fully. He’d tried to take her out once more since their disastrous first night out, and it hadn’t gone much better: the restaurant had served them, but they’d been seated by the draft and the food had come out cold. They had gone straight home after and skipped the concert he had had planned. Pushing the memory of that subdued evening away, he told himself today would be different, however.

Eleni cast him a suspicious look, but he just smiled in return. She wore a grey turtleneck sweater that fitted to her body, and deep blue jeans. Crystal studs graced her ears, and Matthew found his eyes lingering on them. The subtle touch of brightness suited her. Holding her hand firmly in his, he strode on.

It was a week and a half before the Solstice, and a week day evening. The caverns of the UpMountain were relatively unpopulated, and Matthew hoped their destination would be similarly deserted.

Ahead of them, the place in question came into view.

“Wha—what have they done to it?” Eleni exclaimed. Matthew just grinned and pulled her into the wonderland.

The Atrium, as it was every year, was transformed for the coming Solstice. Strung lights hung draped across the cavernous space: large star shaped lights or hundreds of thin filaments, bundled into pom-poms that glowed at the end of clear threads hung at different levels throughout. At floor level, the trees were also strung with lights, and sculptures made of light shining through a variety of clear materials were interspersed throughout the massive room. It was made magical. 

He bathed in the wonder that poured from Eleni as she took in the transformed space.

“It’s beautiful!” She exclaimed, delighted. She had stopped, and was staring at the lit space in front of her. He gazed at her face, entranced and happy to bring her joy.

“They do this every year, though they change it around each time.” He didn’t look himself, however, transfixed by her shining eyes. Those eyes shifted to him, and she tugged him forward.

“I want to see all of it.”

As they slowly moved on, the Throne, a large metal sculpture that sat on a dias at the center of the Atrium, rose up ahead of them apparently covered in dewdrops of light. It was an abstract pattern: it flowed with the contours of the sculpture itself. 

“It’s different every year.” Matthew explained. “Sometimes there are images, and I’ve even seen a sculpture built on top of the Throne itself. The design is up to the artist, and they feature a new up-and-coming individual each year. It is a great honor to be chosen.” Eleni was quiet for a moment taking in this information and the Throne.

“It feels right this way. The Throne is meant to be fluid.” Matthew nodded, though he didn’t have a strong opinion himself. Eleni squinted her eyes, and studied the work of art for a long moment. “It’s a single strand.”

“What?”

“The lights. They are all joined by a single strand. It’s just looped over and over again.” Matthew looked closely, but couldn’t tell how she had discerned that from where they were standing. Moving close to the object, he saw that she was indeed correct. 

Eleni meanwhile moved over to the plaque located at the base.

“_Soaring._” She murmured, and nodded. After looking to see the name of the artist, they moved on. 

When he heard Eleni gasp he couldn’t help but grinning.

“What is that?” She said, disbelief in her voice.

“An ice palace.” Matthew replied. “Come on.” Together, they approached the structure. 

Created every year by mutants with the power to modify temperatures or form ice, the structure was always a palace with rooms you could walk through. Some years it was a stone-like fortress, others an elegant county palace with conical towers. 

This year, it was delicate in nature, with peaks that ended in round bulbs coming to a point, swirling patterns on the walls, and filigrees of ice across the windows. With more excitement than he had felt in years, he entered it with Eleni’s hand grasped firmly in his.

Inside, the walls boasted art in all different mediums. Eleni broke free from him to exclaim over them. 

“They use the Solstice display to celebrate the art of the Montagne.” He explained. The sense of wonder emanating from her was more than he had ever expected.

“That’s wonderful.” Eleni mumbled, as she inspected a painting. “And these are all new works?”

“Yes.” He answered as she moved on to the next piece. This one, a metal sculpture, again abstract but with sharp edges, held her attention for a long time.

“You like art.” He said, slightly non-plussed. How had he not known this? She moved on to the next piece, as she answered absent mindedly.

“I do. I like the idea of creating something with a meaning to be discovered.” Then she pointed out some highlights on the new piece, though she didn’t spend long there. 

“You know there are several museums in the UpMountain.” He held her waist from behind and she leaned back into him as she looked at the final pieces in the room. “We should go.” He whispered in her ear, happy to have found an activity they could do together that would be less controversial than their other dates.

“That would be nice.” She smiled up at him. “I’ve always wanted to do that.” He tried his best to kiss away the trace of sadness in her comment. 

She spent the longest time at the last piece, a painting. It featured a fairytale fortress of long ornate rooves with occasional peaks of glass. It was built into the side of a mountain, and somehow appeared as if the structures had emerged organically from the random lump of rock. The picture looked idyllic, except that the foreground was dominated by flames.

“That’s the Montange from the outside.” Eleni mumbled. “The UpMountain.”

It hadn’t been a question, but Matthew answered anyway.

“Yes. It was carefully planned in every way. It is beautiful.”

Eleni hummed. After another moment, she spoke again.

“The fires burned here too, then?”

“I guess so.” Was all Matthew said in response to that. The time known as the Inferno had been one of the hardest for the Montagne and its struggling population. Matthew didn’t want to dwell on that, impatient to show her the final surprise.

Keeping one hand at her waist, he gently pulled her away from the picture, and guided her to the door that led into the next room. 

“Close your eyes.” He said, before entering the short hallway that joined the gallery to their final destination. She narrowed her eyes. “It’ll make the experience better.” He explained. 

Though doubt still rang through the bond, Eleni closed her eyes, and he led her into the next room, positioning her in the center.

“Open them.”

Eleni gasped in awe as she opened them, turning to take in the full effect. Then she looked up and froze. 

They were surrounded by points of light, some hanging or strung, but most frozen directly into the walls. The ceiling above them was studded with them and they spanned throughout the many feet of ice. When viewed from the center of the room, an intricate geometric pattern was clear. However, as you moved around, it seemed to collapse and re-form in to an infinite array of designs. 

“Who did this?” Eleni asked, clearly impressed. Matthew showed her the plaque with the artists’ name, though it was no one he recognized.

“_The Coming of the Light._” She murmured, reading the title.

“It always has that title, though a different person designs it each year.”

Matthew enjoyed the sculpture of light, but not nearly as much as the feeling of wonder and joy that radiated from Eleni. After a few minutes moving around the room, she came over to him and pulled him into a kiss. 

“Thank you for showing me this.” She whispered.

“I’m glad you like it.” He whispered back, and held her as they lost themselves in the light and the ice.

When they finally left the palace. Eleni allowed him to draw her to one of the benches at the side of the path. In the half darkness, they sat, arm in arm. He wondered at how happy, comfortable and content he was with her, and she with him. He rested his forehead on hers for a long minute, savoring the closeness. She didn’t pull back and she didn’t ask to leave.

He hated to break the mood, but as relaxed as she was, he thought he was more likely to get a straight answer from her.

“How is it at school with the pranks?” He asked. Eleni pulled her head back, distractedly.

“They’ve dropped off a bit. A lot, actually. Maybe, they got bored?” Matthew was relieved.

“Um…actually, Adam and I may be the reason for that.” Eleni’s looked at him sharply. “I didn’t want to say anything until I knew it was making a difference, but several vintages have gone missing…it happens from time to time…” He felt annoyance through the bond.

“I didn’t ask you to do that.” She said.

“I know. I wanted to.”

“I wish you had talked to me first.” 

“Would you have let me do it?” Eleni didn’t answer. She had pulled back, but he took her hand in his and laced their fingers together. “I knew you might be mad, but I also knew I would tell you. I don’t regret it, and if it is working I don’t want to stop.”

Eleni looked away, silent for a long moment. Matthew’s eyes dropped down to their clasped hands.

“I hate doing nothing.” She whispered, and he looked up in surprise. There were tears in her eyes. “I don’t want to depend on anyone for anything, but I have to. I am not powerless!” The last was said fiercely. He didn’t know how to respond, but tentatively drew her to him again. She didn’t resist, and she sat in the circle of his arms for a long time. 

It was getting late, and they arose, separated, and walked slowly away from the ice palace. 

“Thank you.” She said it quietly, and Matthew could feel that gratitude was only a small part of how she felt about the situation, and very little of it was positive. He felt a spike of irritation and frustration.

He opened his mouth, but then took a deep breath instead of speaking. Eleni was looking at him out of the corner of her eye, waiting for his indignation, which she no doubt felt clearly through the bond. At that realization, he felt dismay. He held himself in, waiting a moment, carefully sifting through his feelings and considering hers. He chose his words.

“I wish it was different.” He looked at her. “I just want to be with you.”

She blinked and stared at him. Then she looked down, and collected his hand in hers, and laced their fingers together as he had done earlier.

“And I like being with you.” She said quietly, glancing back up at him. He smiled, reclaiming some of his enjoyment from earlier, and they walked on together.

The auditions came and went, and then came the waiting. Every year the schedule was the same: auditions the week before the Solstice celebration, and results announced the week after. The dance students often complained about it, as it made it more difficult to enjoy the annual holiday. Matthew didn’t mind so much this year, as his excitement for the Solstice holiday made waiting for the results less urgent. He had gotten Eleni a special present.

He forced himself through the stilted family dinner Adam insisted upon for Solstice Eve, where he and Jae both tried their best to pretend the other was not there. That night he had trouble getting to sleep, his anticipation was so keen, and the next morning Adam had to stop him from leaving just after breakfast.

“We’ll go over in the afternoon, Mattie. As usual.” They always spent Solstice with Madam P, though Matthew had stayed home last year. At that point in time, Matthew had refused to audition for the show due to his break up with Jenna, and he had stayed home alone on Solstice rather than face his dance teacher. He hoped Madam P wouldn’t bring that up this year.

He and his father finally arrive mid-afternoon; Jae had chosen to spend the holiday with her latest girlfriend. The dance teacher’s house was decorated with green boughs that had been collected from the evergreen trees of the Atrium and the corridors of the Montagne.

Eleni looked lovely in a dress of soft grey, shot through with metallic accents. He kissed her and whispered the season greeting.

“Happy Solstice.”

“Happy Solstice.” She returned, looking bemused. She had explained that the solstice was observed in a different manner in the Citadel, and that the ancient tradition of Christmas took precedent. Matthew knew some families celebrated Christmas, but it by no means dominated the population. Other religions were just as prevalent, but everyone celebrated Solstice. The shortest day of the year took on additional meaning when sunlight was already at a premium.

The four of them sat for a moderately elaborate meal, complete with a bottle of wine. As Adam prepared to pour for everyone, Eleni surprised them by turning hers down.

“I’m fine with water. I’d prefer it that way.” Matthew noticed her emotions were tight, and that her eyes avoided the bottle.

“Me too,” he said to draw attention from her. He father gave him an incredulous look, but Madam P took advantage of the situation.

“More for the two of us, no, Adam? You did bring the 3000 pinot, correct? I am happy not to share.” Adam shrugged, and poured the two glasses.

After the meal, Matthew drew Eleni into the living room. She had picked up on his excitement.

“What is it?” She asked, curious, as they settled onto their usual places on the couch. 

He drew a small box from his pocket and handed it to her. It was a beautiful and distinctive box: deep purple lined with silver accents. Across the top the name Tang’s was imprinted in decorative silver script. They were one of the top jewelers in the Montagne, though Matthew realized Eleni probably didn’t know that.

“Happy Solstice.” She looked at him, eyes narrowing.

“What is this?”

“Open it.” He promoted quietly. She shook her head, trying to understand.

“But, why?” He understood her confusion.

“It’s traditional to give gifts on Solstice. I wanted to get you something.” He gestured towards the box. 

“But I don’t have anything for you.” He waved that concern away.

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t want anything. But I did want to get something for you. I think you’ll really like it.” 

“Matthew, I can’t accept this.” What? Matthew pushed down a spike of irritation.

“Why not?”

“It…it makes more of an imbalance.” Matthew, aware of that dynamic thanks to G, had an answer prepared.

“But people also give gifts to those they care about. Can this just be that? I saw this and it made me think of you. I wanted to share it with you. No tallies, no need for reciprocity.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Another spike of irritation. Why couldn’t she just accept the gift?

“I wanted it to be a surprise.” He said, exasperation edging his voice. “Come on, Elle. I got a present for you because you are my girlfriend. It’s a normal thing to do.”

She sighed. 

“Please, don’t get me anything else, ok?” He stared at her.

“It’s harmless, Elle. People usually like getting presents.” Her eyes went hard.

“It bothers me. This is ok, but don’t get me anything else.” He relented, but felt the moment had been ruined. 

“OK.” 

She nodded. Then, looking back down at the box, she carefully eased back the top.

A small hinged wooden box was tucked within, and in that was a pair of diamond earrings. Awkward moment forgotten in his excitement, Matthew couldn’t suppress the grin on his face.

Eleni’s eyes were wide as she looked up.

“Please tell me these are glass.” He rolled his eyes.

“Of course they’re not! Do you like them?” Eleni looked at him in disbelief, and a feeling of discomfort grew through the bond. Anxiety started to color his irritation, and he did his best not to feel those feelings. 

For a long moment, Eleni looked back and forth between him and the earrings. Then she apparently resigned herself and nodded. She even smiled, if reluctantly.

“They are beautiful. Let me go put them on.” As he waited on the couch while Eleni went upstairs he turned his attention to the bond, and was rewarded by a warm glow of pleasure. Eleni was smiling contemplatively when she rejoined him. The earrings glittered on her ears.

“Thank you.” She whispered as she leaned up to kiss him.

“_…make something for you to remember me by when I am gone._” Matthew’s attention was ripped from the sweet, triumphant moment by the thought that suddenly echoed in his head. He jerked back.

“Gone? Why would you go?” He demanded.

“Wha-? How did you--? You read my mind!” She backed away, alarm growing.

“I’ve had a few slips with my telepathy. It’s nothing. But, why are you thinking of leaving me already? We’ve only just gotten together!” 

“That is not important! I can’t be with you if you are reading my thoughts!” Her voice dropped to an urgent whisper as she glanced towards the kitchen.

“Elle, I’m a telepath. It happens. But, there is no reason---!”

“You said you never do that! I believed you!” She hissed. He was trying to get close to her, but she kept backing away. Her eyes burned, and the bond bubbled with alarm, anger and anxiety. 

“I didn’t lie! This is a new thing. It’s just happened a couple of times over the past few weeks. It’s nothing!”

“It is not nothing! I can’t be with someone who might accidentally read my mind!” Matthew’s heart contracted. In desperation, anger flooded him.

“Elle, you are taking this way to seriously! Anyone knows this can happen if you date a telepath.”

“If that is the case, then you are getting mad at me for something you failed to tell me!”

“No! I’m getting angry at you for failing to be reasonable about it!” He couldn’t lose her. “Come on, Elle, just give it some time, and I’ll show you it hardly happens. It’ll probably just be a phase, and will stop at some point!”

“And maybe it will start happening more! I cannot accept that situation, Matthew! We’re done.” He grabbed her arm as she started to turn away.

“We’re not! I waited too long for you, and worked too hard to be with you, to just let you walk away!” Didn’t she see what he had done for her? Her eyes went wide.

“Is that right? I need to dance to your tune to make up for the hardship you have suffered? Are we back to that?” 

“That is not what I said!”

“That is exactly what you said, and it is another reason I will not be with you.” She yanked her arm away from him. “Good bye, Matthew. It sounds like it will make your life easier not having me around!” She turned, and stalked out of the room and up the stairs.

Frozen for a moment, the appearance of Madam P and Adam in the hall, concerned looks on their faces, motivated him into action. He stumbled out the door.

The moment was strikingly similar to Eleni’s rejection of him months earlier. Part of him felt numb, unable to process what had just occurred. Not wanting to admit that this woman had hold enough on him that his heart rebelled at the idea of losing her.

The cold air of the cavern shocked him out of stupor, and as his heart won out over the shock, pain and sadness flooded him. He felt a responding echo, and looked up to Eleni’s window only to see it blocked by a curtain. A matching curtain fell over her emotions, and he was left alone with his desolate state. 

Anger started seeping back in, and his mind raced with indignation over how she could reject him for something that was a part of him. He ignored Adam when the man finally caught up with him, but did catch a glimpse of a small purple box clutched in the man’s hand.

Once they were home, he learned that Madam P and Adam thought he and Eleni had broken up over the earrings.

“It was too much, Matthew.” His father spread his hands over the box sitting on the table between them. Its presence was much larger than its physical footprint. “Even I can see that, and I have been known to be exuberant on occasion.”

“I was just…things were finally starting to get better.”

“At school?” Adam asked.

“Yes, and in general. We had a rough start of it. And…giving gifts is a normal thing to do!” His father nodded in understanding.

“Yes, but this was overly generous. It’s not the lifestyle she is used to. Don’t forget, your point of reference was very different from hers.”

“Are you saying I should treat Eleni differently than I treated Jenna?” Matthew challenged, even though the point was actually moot. Adam paused.

“I…I don’t know, son. But this was clearly too much.” A sigh. “Give her some time, and then you two can figure it out together. In the meantime, you need to return this.” He tapped the box on the table before. Then he excused himself.

Matthew stared at the box, hating it. If he hadn’t given it to Eleni, then that slip wouldn’t have occurred. He closed his eyes. Why was she thinking of leaving? He couldn’t get beyond the pain of that knowledge. Things had been going so much better for them, and he had come to see that most of the negative hadn’t been them, it had been everyone around them. In the moments they had gotten beyond all that, things had felt right between them. Like when they danced together.

He roared in frustration, and sent the small box flying into a corner.

He tried to speak with Eleni over the next few days, but to no avail. School was out for the winter break, and the dance studio was closed for a couple of days after the Solstice. When it reopened, Eleni avoided him, and frequently retreated to the house.

Madam P noticed, of course. 

“Give her some time, Matthew. I think she’ll come around. The earrings were too much.” His teacher’s kind eyes were hard to bear. The second time she gave him this reassurance, he went and returned the earrings. He never wanted to hear about them again.

“It’s for the best, Mattie.” His father assured him when he saw what his son had done. Matthew closed his eyes against his father’s ignorance.

The next day the audition results were announced. Matthew would be the prince; Jenna would be Odette; Eleni was her understudy.

It seemed like an honor to Eleni: receiving the part of the understudy for a challenging role was a nod to her talent. However, Matthew knew that Jenna had never missed a performance. It was the only part Eleni had been given, and the probability was that she wouldn’t even get to perform on stage.

He felt Eleni’s disappointment through the bond, and tried to talk to her about it at the dance school.

“I’m sorry, Elle. At least they acknowledged what a talented dancer you are.” She looked to the side.

“I suppose.” He took a breath.

“Elle, look, we need to talk. I miss you.” She didn’t look back at him.

“Matthew, there’s no point. There is no way we can negotiate that. It is unacceptable for me.” His ability. That she had known about from the start.

“Come on, Elle. You’re taking this too seriously. In all the time we’ve been together, since last summer, nothing like this has happened.” An image of a blond man flashed through his mind, but Matthew kept talking and ignored the implications. “We were working so hard to be together. It’s not worth it to end it over this.” He was proud he had used ‘we’ and not ‘I’. He recognized now that that would have gotten him nowhere.

Eleni was quiet for a moment before she spoke.

“You could wear a collar.” Matthew’s stiffened with afront that she could suggest such a thing. 

Collars, which in most mutants rendered their mutant ability passive, were only used in the most desperate of cases. It was not something a mutant did lightly; they had been used in the distant past to enslave mutants, and were an emotional topic in the Montagne whenever they came up. 

“No.”

“You could afford it.” That was true; the devices were rare and expensive. But that was beside the point.

“No! You don’t ask someone to do that, Eleni! Not unless they have to.” He replied forcefully.

Her eyes widened and she actually stepped back, surprised by the vehemence of his response. She took a minute to calm her shock. He took that minute to try and put aside his anger at what she had just asked him to do. 

“OK. I accept that. But then, there is no way forward for us.” He recognized her sadness through the bond, just as he felt her solidify her resolve. “I’m sorry, but it’s over.” She whispered. Then she moved away.

He stood there, watching her go, angry, sad and at a loss for how to proceed. A hand came to rest on his arm, and he looked down.

“Mattie, is everything ok?” Jenna asked quietly.

“Uh, yeah.” He said. She glanced at the door Eleni had just left through, but didn’t press further.

“It’s you and me again.” She squeezed his arm and smiled, her comment referring to the roles they had both been awarded. He gave a half smile back.

“I guess it is.” Jenna pouted, but it was clearly for fun.

“Don’t tell me you’re not up to handing their hearts back to them on a plate?” She teased, referencing the phrase they had used when they were cast as leads in previous ballets. It made him smile and even laugh a little.

“You know I am.” 

“Good.”

“Jen, you get all the fun.” Cordelia came up on Matthew’s other side and, taking his free arm, plastered herself to him. She grinned up at the tall man. “But don’t worry, Mattie, we’ll get our fun, too. I’m one of the princesses!” Matthew disengaged himself from the women, planning to make his goodbyes. He thought he’d head home to…think about the hopeless situation he found himself in with Eleni.

“Mattie, a bunch of us are heading to the District to get some food, maybe pick up a concert. Wanna come?” He looked at Jenna trying to think of a good excuse to refuse. Then he decided the distraction would be welcome.

“Sure.” He said.

**CITADEL 3020.12.31**

**DAVE**

Dave grasped the waist of his partner as he spun her around the floor. Shana Drucker glanced up at him with a smile, which he politely returned. She was very attractive with deep brown eyes, deep brown skin and thick black hair styled in a halo around her head and studded with small gems that sparkled.

“So it is true. You are quite the dance partner.”

“I had a good teacher.” He muttered in return, looking away and trying not to think of who that had been.

“They have my thanks. It is a pleasure dancing with you, Dave Kelly. I certainly hope it isn’t the last time,” came the soft reply. The hand that rested on his shoulder tightened slightly. He knew she expected him to pull her closer, or return with a similarly intimate comment, but he did neither. They were close in age, she a couple years his senior, and a union between them promised many benefits. She had subtly pointed some of those out earlier in the dance.

“You are quite accomplished yourself,” he said, instead, softening it with a brief smile, and kept on dancing the rote steps.

It was the annual New Year’s Gala, and everyone from the young elite was here or physically unable to attend, as well as a good representation from the older generations. The grand hall was festooned with greenery and gold. There were towers of champagne glasses, and punch pouring out from a fountain. Delights of every kind and color graced the tables.

The symbol of the Citadel found above the entrance, an elegant eight-pointed star with a cross in the lower center, and a sun above that, was backed with lights for the occasion and appeared to glow. 

The music wound down, and Dave escorted his partner to the edge of the floor, and to a group of their peers.

“Tired out already, Dave?” another woman asked, playfully.

“I am ready for a break. I’m out of practice.” Shana stayed by his side, so he focused he attention on another member of the group. “Elsa, I’ve heard the new drug tests are going well.”

The woman with deep tan skin and curly dark brown hair, welcomed the interest.

“They are. We have a few promising anti-depressants nearly through clinical trials. Only minor side effects, and with noticeable reduction in suicidal tendencies in the group diagnosed with depression. We are hoping to have them to the general population within the year.” Dave nodded, noting the woman’s triumphant tone. Suicide was a constant problem in the Citadel, where every life counted. Ironic, in light of the fact they regularly did away with a portion of their population.

Dave pulled his thoughts away from the angry line of thinking and back to the conversation.

“That is excellent news,” Shana replied. “Any other new projects at Shaysan Pharmeceuticals that we should know about?” The woman came from a family known for its investment savvy. There was no public market in the Citadel as there had been in previous centuries: it had been deemed too destructive, like an addictive drug. However, investment in private enterprises was a common pass time of those in the know and with the funds.

“Not at the moment,” Elsa responded, coyly.

“I have heard of some developments in military technology, if you are interested Shana.” Dyan Jwarda, also of tan skin but with black hair, interjected. “Not my cup of tea, personally, but I can introduce you to Zach Kaldwell. His father is involved in the projects.” Dave looked away at the name. “You went to Baybrook, right Dave? Do you know him?”

“Not really.” Dave replied. “Different sports.”

As Shana took Dyan up on his offer, and they began scanning the crowd for the man in question, Dave mumbled that he needed a drink and excused himself.

Grabbing a glass of champagne from a tray, Dave walked through the crowd, half scanning it for people he knew. He chatted briefly with a couple acquaintances from the law school and caught up with J.J. Warner.

“Engineering is busting my balls.” The man complained humorously. “I should have done law like you.”

“I wouldn’t call it easy.”

“Yeah, but you get to twist the words around until they work for you, right? You can’t do that with equations on gravity and the like.” Dave chuckled.

“True. Law is a social construct in the end and similarly flexible. But can be just as inflexible.” J.J. hummed in response, then perked up as something across the room caught his eye.

“Hey, did you see the Godsen table? They went all out. Must have been a good year in the hothouses. I’m going to head over there before it’s gone.”

Dave smiled, but knew he wouldn’t check out the decadent display, in spite of its rarity. He had lost his taste for chocolate.

“I’ll pass. Catch you later.”

Walking purposefully along the edge of the crowded room, Dave again scanned the floor for anyone else he might want to catch up with. Then his eyes landed on the aforementioned Zach Kaldwell. His stomach started to feel as if he had just eaten some of the chocolate J.J. had been raving about. 

To his horror, the man spotted him and started coming in his direction.

Consciously loosening his grip on his glass, Dave quickly moved back into the crowd. A moment later he spotted Natal and was making his way over to greet the man when a hand touched his arm softly.

“Dave, wellpast the Day of Doom,” a familiar voice said. That was a standard greeting this time of year, marking the safe passing of the Day of Darkness, the shortest day of the year, which served as a reminder of the darkness the mutant known as Magneto had visited upon the world. It made the celebrations of Christmas and the New Year all the brighter, to be first reminded of the terror that had once dominated the world. 

“You look well.” Corella continued. The soft voice brought his eyes down to a smooth, flawless golden-brown face with deep brown eyes. The dark hair with golden highlights had been curled and fell precisely. Corella had always put great store in her appearance.

“Thank you, Corella. Wellpast to you as well. I actually just saw someone I need to speak with. Maybe we can catch up later. If you’ll excuse me.” 

“Dave, I just want a moment to…to mend fences.” The gentle hand on his arm tightened slightly. She knew he had no intention of seeking her out later. “And, it used to be Cory, not Corella.” Her large eyes pleaded with him, and he felt that pulling himself away would simply be too awkward. Inwardly he sighed with frustration; he had had difficulty ending their relationship for the same reason.

“How have you been…Cory?” He asked, reluctantly slipping back in to the familiar. She smiled warmly.

“OK. I’m at the art academy, now.”

“That’s great.” 

“And you’re studying law, right?”

“Yes.” And I’m planning a petition for mutant amnesty. He wished he dared to say that out loud to shock Corella and scare her away.

“I miss Keio, though,” she said, glancing out over the crowd. “My parents were ecstatic when graduation finally rolled around. They wanted me to go to Miss Burnbachs Prepatory from the start, but I value the opportunities that Keio has provided to me.” She looked back at Dave as she said this.

“It is a fine institution. The best for women, if you ask me.”

“Of course. Our history has been shaped by graduates from Keio and Baybrook. I hope to continue that tradition.” Dave grinned, glad to finally say something that matched his emotional state.

“So do I.” He murmured. Corella’s eyes lingered on him.

“That’s how you used to smile. When we were together.” She stepped closer. “I…I miss you, Dave.”

_Shit_, Dave cursed internally, looking away.

“Cory, you know it wasn’t working. Our philosophies are just too different.”

“I disagree. We had many thoughtful discussions, and were able to see each others’ viewpoint even if we didn’t entirely agree. That, more than anything, was proof that we were good together.” Dave tried to think of a decent counter argument. The problem was, she was right.

“Look, Cory, I didn’t say this before because we were together, but the truth is your family made me extremely uncomfortable. And your church. I just…I just can’t accept some of their views.”

“What if I told you I felt the same sometimes?” Her voice had dropped low, and Dave stared down at her in surprise. “Dave, there is much you still do not know about me. I think we should try again.”

Her words made no sense to Dave, and he had no desire to understand them. Yet, her hand on his arm combined with the intense intimacy of her gaze disarmed him.

In his helplessness, Dave was taken back.

_ 16-year-old Dave sat in the school courtyard, a beautiful young woman by his side, surrounded by people he barely knew. The weather was slowly starting to warm to spring, and they were outside enjoying the respite from the cold. Corella linked her arm loosely through his and leaned her head on his shoulder, a clear gesture of ownership. It was the most physical they had been in their two month-long relationship, a fact with which Dave was satisfied._

_ “So, Kelly, the Church fasting coming up. You’ll be participating I assume?” The question sounded casual, but Shan Pembok narrowed his eyes at Dave as he spoke. The man with black hair and sallow skin clearly objected to Dave’s presence in their group, and his place at Corella’s side. Not liking the way his peer looked at Corella, Dave had found the animosity to be mutual._

_ “Well, as I’m not officially a member of your church. It would probably be a little odd to participate in the ritual.”_

_“But you were baptized Humanist,” came the pointed retort. _

_Dave’s mother’s background was clearly Christian, and his father was nominally one as well, though the man only attended services when his appearance there mattered. All the Christian churches in the Citadel fell under the umbrella of The Church of the Human Christ, ‘human’ meaning ‘non-mutant’. As such, a large portion of the Citadel population were technically baptized ‘Humanist’. _

_However, a smaller segment of those attended church loyally. Those numbers included the group around him, who further belonged to a branch that adhered to a strict reading of the tenants, adapted to post-Devastation life. When people spoke of ‘Humanists’ this was who they meant._

_The man’s brown eyes never left Dave, and started to gleam as if he was winning some competition. _

_“Yes, he was.” Corella responded for Dave, patting his arm firmly as if his baptism was all the proof she needed of his devotion. He looked at her and smiled into her deep brown eyes. He found he genuinely liked her; she was smart, kind and thoughtful. “And my father himself has said that seeing the truth God puts before us is a process. It takes time.” Dave cringed inwardly; he liked her, but not some of the comments she made._

_Shan looked away in annoyance. When he looked back, he glared murder at Dave._

_Dave ignored the look, and gave the courtyard a casual scan. Eleni hadn’t emerged yet. He hadn’t seen her in a few weeks. Usually, he got a glimpse of her leaving in the half hour between when school dismissed and the start of his afternoon activities. He didn’t think she’d go so far as to wait until he was gone to avoid him, and suspected she was taking the jewelry class again, or some other extracurricular activity. He wished he knew which one it was._

_“You should get to practice.” Corella said regretfully. While they had been a bit stiff with each other at first, that had melted away on her part and she clearly enjoyed the time they spent together. Dave supposed he did, too._

_He smiled at her saying he’d text her later, and left for lacrosse._

_The relationship proceeded in this way over the next few months. Dave started having dinner at Corella’s house at least once a week, and found the conversation welcoming. They did make frequent comments about their church, but didn’t press Dave too much. His mother had joined him a couple of times, and he made note of her cleverly worded responses. She had worked closely with the Humanists on several projects over the years. _

_He saw Eleni only a handful more times over the rest of the school year, and only from a distance, as he no longer stopped by his father’s office. _

_“What’s on your mind?” It was summer, now, and he and Corella were at the park near her house having a picnic. “Is everything ok?”_

_He forced a smile. “Yes. I was just thinking you must have put a lot of work into this.” Corella looked to the side but was clearly pleased. He had actually been thinking this was exactly the kind of activity he longed to do with Eleni. He pushed the thought, and the feelings that went with it, away._

_“I love that about you, Dave. You understand these things. The work people put in that normally goes unseen. They talk about supporting those that have less at the Church, but very few people there actually understand how much harder living can be for others.” _

_Corella’s compassionate heart was one thing that frequently brought them together in their conversations. But it had its limitations. He reached over and pushed her thick hair away from her face as he spoke._

_“But shouldn’t we see the ways in which all people may be suffering, no matter the circumstance of their birth?” Corella’s smiled went wry as she noted his challenge, and she looked away._

_“It makes me sad to see people punished for the sins of their parents. But if we do not hold to our values they will only slip further.” Dave hadn’t really expected any success._

_“And yet, you have expressed understanding for situations where the person’s condition is beyond their control. How is this any different?”_

_“There is a difference between a spontaneous anomaly, and the fallout from a decision made consciously, either in this generation or previous ones.”_

_Being with Corella challenged him, and he saw the value in that. She truly believed in the tenants of her religion, and yet also abhorred ill-treatment of others. While the ways in which she reconciled those two parts of herself still baffled Dave in some ways, he accepted that she was sincere._

_She was the one who had first brought up Eleni’s existence, fairly soon after they started dating. _

_“I need to tell you that she is one thing about you that I find difficult.” She had said. “I know that you have been accepting, even friendly, towards her, and I hope to bring you to see that to act in such a way is only a cruelty to her. Just as your father allowing her to attend school here with us is. It is completely inappropriate.”_

_Dave had made some noncommittal comment at the time, and Corella hadn’t brought the issue up again, especially in light of the fact that he hadn’t associated with Eleni since._

_Now he missed Eleni, and Corella’s comment and his subsequent inaction haunted him, so he pressed her when the opportunity presented._

_“How are you two love birds doing?” Corella’s sister came over with a patronizing grin. Newly engaged to a fellow Humanist, the older woman glowed with pleasure and confidence. “Have you picked at date yet?” She teased._

_Dave tensed and Corella sighed in annoyance._

_“We are working on it, Jess. And it’s none of your business.” The date in question was the day Dave would join them at their church for the first time, to hear one Corella’s father’s weekly sermons. The request had first been voiced shortly before school let out. Dave had managed to convince his coach to run a summer lacrosse camp nearly every Rest Day, starting shortly after the churches normally let out. Being captain, he had explained honestly, he had to go early, and didn’t have time to attend church. _

_He’d gotten out of the other days with excuses of obligatory family time with his father. That was a blatant lie, but as he was living with his mother again it was hard to challenge the excuse. His father had been unable to stop badgering Dave about his new relationship and trying to convince him to end it, so Dave had moved out a couple months after he and Corella started dating. _

_Dave found the situation ironic, however, as it was his father who had always encouraged him to be open-minded. His ability to be flexible of thought was one reason his relationship with Corella was actually working._

_Jess peered at him down her nose. _

_“The blessings of our Lord are many, for those who follow His Path.” Along with the requests for him to attend a sermon, Corella’s family was also starting to voice objections about his general reluctance in regards to the religion. He had come to understand that Corella had petitioned hard to date him, and that he was a sort of probationary boyfriend. Corella didn’t seem too concerned; her father doted on her, and Dave suspected she thought she could assuage the man’s concerns. Dave wasn’t so sure, based on some private discussions the pastor had pulled him aside to have._

_“Dave, you are a smart young man, that is clear, and we enjoy having you at our table. But your upbringing, specifically your father’s disturbing behavior, do cause me great worry. While I see that you treat my Cory well, and you are a gentleman to her, I am concerned about your intentions. Our Lord’s Path is the path of the Light. You will be bringing yourself into His Glory when you join us. And join us you will, else you will be damned alongside your father.” The man’s certainty in that fact had been stunning. Dave had done his best to avoid being alone with him ever since._

Shaking off the memories of their relationship off, he searched his mind to explain why could not be with her. Concrete explanations he could use in public. Dave looked around in dismay. 

“Dave…” She said softly, inching closer and peering up at him. He gritted his teeth.

In spite of Corella’s shocking suggestion that she challenged some of the teaching of the Church of the Human Christ, it didn’t change the reason they had finally broken up. A reason that would still be a problem. Except that she was dead. 

He realized that Corella had offered no words of condolences for his loss. This was the first time they had spoken since Eleni’s death. The thought put ice his heart and iron in his resolve.

“Corella…”

“Cory.” Her beautiful eyes crinkled in reassurance.

“Corella,” he said more firmly, “no, it goes beyond that for me. I learned that there are some things I will not compromise on, and I don’t believe you could ever bend the tenants of your church to satisfy me. It won’t work between us.” He started to turn away, but she gripped his arm with surprising strength.

“Dave! Please don’t go! I can’t just seek you out, and this may be the only opportunity I have to speak with you for a long time!” Shocked at the desperation in her tone, Dave turned back, only to see Shan Pembok approach from behind her.

“Cory, is there something the matter here?” The man had grown a bit more decorum over the past year and a half. His animosity towards Dave had grown as well. “You should know by now that this man cannot be trusted and will never do God’s Will.” The patronizing tone grated at Dave, even though he had just rejected Corella’s proposal. The way Shan possessively put an arm around her as if he would shelter her, and more, from the danger Dave presented made the blond man’s stomach turn.

“Actually, I was just leaving.” Dave said in a clipped voice, and turned away. Behind him he heard Cory protest.

“Shan, no! Nothing was wrong, we were just having a friendly debate, like we used to when we were dating.” Then more quietly. “Please let me go.” Dave stopped.

“Cory, there is no debating with this man. Come with me back to our party.” Dave turned back to see Shan firmly guiding Corella away, one hand on her waist the other high on her side, just under her arm. Corella squirmed, and pushed the hand under her arm down, then she stepped away from Shan. She glanced back at Dave, and looked regretful when she saw he had turned back. Her eyes pleaded with him, but for what he had no idea. She had to understand, he couldn’t give her what she wanted.

He turned away himself, only to meet Natal’s glare. His partner in crime sneered at him, disgust clear on his face. Dave’s spirits fell further, but setting his resolve to make it through the rest of the evening, he went to look for another dance partner.


	21. Chapter 20

**ELENI**

Eleni gazed out over the dusty court yard, noting a cat that quickly scampered off to no one knew where. A few local residents were out, chatting with each other. A woman wheeling a cart of assorted items was no doubt off to sell them at the Washing Court just a few blocks away. Eleni found herself staring at the woman’s scaled visage. Even after all this time, she still wasn’t used to living with mutants. As the woman exited the space via a small corridor, Eleni’s eyes came to rest on a poster featuring Tracy Lensher. It was brand new.

“What happened, Elle?” G asked. Eleni pulled her attention from being thankful the infamous future Head seemed to have forgotten her. Then she sighed. G’s question was not unexpected, though she had hoped her stiff silence would dissuade her self-appointed brother.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Her companion snorted. 

“Mattie’s not doing much better, you know.” She did know. She tried not to feel it.

“Yeah, well, that’s how things go.”

“They don’t have to.”

“Just who am I talking to now?” G gave a small laugh. She watched him sideways trying to understand why this man, who had been an ally of sorts in keeping Matthew away, now seemed to have switched sides.

Eleni had started coming to the DownMountain whenever she could. The New Year had just past, and rehearsals for Swan Lake were starting. As understudy, she had a large amount of choreography to learn. Madam P had been sympathetic, however, and gave her some of those lessons outside of the regular rehearsal hours. The woman also made frequent comments about Matthew. Today, Eleni had suspected G’s goal as soon as he said he wanted her to come on this errand with him.

“Adam mentioned something about a pair of earrings. Was that it?”

“Since when are you in Adam’s confidence?”

G gave her an arch look. “I cultivate relationships wherever I can. Especially if it keeps me close to Mattie.” Eleni wondered who was trying to hold on to Matthew tighter; the UpMountain crowd or G. “So, was it the earrings?” 

Eleni sighed. She didn’t like to lie when she didn’t have to.

“No. They were a bit much, but that’s not what made us break up.”

“What was it, then?” Eleni liked G, and was glad they were friends now. She didn’t however, like the fact that it gave him the leverage to ask questions like that one. A pressure grew in her chest. She took some deep breaths as she gazed away from G until it dissipated.

“It was something that will stay between Matthew and I, but it was something I just can’t compromise on.” G looked at her, then looked away and was silent for his own moment. Eleni watched him out of the corner of her eye.

He was about to speak again, when a group of young teens entered the court. Eleni took in their mismatched clothing and general air of indifference. G’s attention was drawn to them immediately, and a frown creased his brow.

The gang at the Tower called kids like these the ‘lost ones’, a play on the name of a group of boys from some ancient fairy tale. G firmly rejected attempts to brand him as the boy who led them. Whenever it came up, he slapped his belly and made the pointed remark ‘when this fat flies.’

“Quintina!” G called out. The group shuffled a bit, but then a young teen with tufted ears and sharp teeth emerged and came in their direction, her friends training behind.

“What is it, G? I’m not looking for wholesome fun today.”

“Yeah, I figured that, since you’re coming from the direction of the arcades.” Though G’s tone hadn’t been accusing, Quintina glared at him and started to turn away. “Where’s Trideratops?” The girl shrugged.

“He’s found some employment.”

“Kinda young, no?” Another shrug.

“It pays, and they treat him well. Don’t see anything wrong with that.”

“Where’s he working?”

“He asked me not to share. Look, I gotta get going.” The girl turned and walked away. G’s eyes rested on the shoes on her feet as she retreated.

“Those are new, and pricy. Where’d she get the credit for that?”

“What?” Eleni asked, curious. 

“They have next to nothing, those kids, and their families. No one to buy them shoes like that. Either she got credit, or someone gave them to her, and both of those situations worry me.” The man sat back to think as the group of kids left the court.

Eleni watched them until the last one had disappeared. She had learned that they were most likely results of the Birth Proxy program. As part of the contract the woman entered into when she joined in the program, she agreed to raise the child that resulted. Or children; some women did the program for as long as they were able to bear children, with their income increasing with each child. Of course, some of the children were adopted UpMountain, but while they were with their birth mother, the credit the women got in return gave them a semi-decent life by DownMountain standards.

Most of those women raised the kids in a family setting; single mothers were part of the fabric here. It had taken Eleni some time to adapt to that fact, even though she herself had been raised by a single mother. Unlike the Citadel, here they were accepted as a natural part of the society. 

However, there was a portion of the Birth Proxy population who did little more than keep the children they bore alive and didn’t hide their lack of interest in their offspring who had been no more than a method of obtaining credit. Many of these kids became the lost ones; having understood since they were small the exact value placed on their lives, their self-motivation was correspondingly low. 

Other kids who were similarly down for a variety of reasons joined them. It was these groups that G targeted for the Towers, but the older they got, the harder it was to engage them.

Eleni was distracted from her thoughts as G spoke again. Apparently, he hadn’t given up.

“He was trying, Elle. He really cares for you.” Eleni dropped her head, angling it away from G and squeezed her eyes shut.

“G, you must see it was never going to last. This just meant it ended sooner than even I guessed.”

“Why not? Why couldn’t it last?” Again, she wondered where cynical, realist G had gone to.

Eleni didn’t answer. She was an expert at keeping her feelings under control. Her mother had taught her from a young age that her ability to do so meant keeping her life, and much more. But this situation and this conversation were testing even her ability to stay calm no matter what she was feeling under the surface. Now she had memories of being in Matthew’s arms, of relaxing and laughing with him, of quiet moments together. She had somehow convinced herself at the beginning of the relationship that giving in to her attraction for a short time would be manageable in the aftermath. 

It wasn’t, and part of her still wanted that relationship. She should have known better, she thought, reflecting back to her experience with Dave. She sometimes found herself thinking that maybe the slips were as infrequent as Matthew said, and posed little danger. Or, maybe, she could even share with him the reason why she couldn’t set down roots here.

_DON’T EVEN **THINK** ABOUT IT!_

The memory came on so violently, Eleni’s head jerked back and she took a sharp breath in. She caught G looking at her in alarm. She tried to paint it as a reaction to thoughts of Matthew.

“It’s not something I take lightly, G, I miss him. But it’s better this way. It just couldn’t last.” Desperate, she changed the subject. If G could ask personal questions of her now, she could ask them of him. She focused on keeping her voice calm. “Hey, there’s something I’ve wanted to ask you.”

He looked at her, reluctance in his eyes, and she guessed he was not yet ready to abandon his efforts on Matthew’s behalf.

“Your sister. You helped me because I look like her, right?” G nodded. Another debt, and one owed to someone to whom she could never repay it. Eleni swallowed and managed her composure. “What happened to her?”  
G looked sad.

“This place happened to her.” He took a deep breath. “She was injured when we were taken, and it changed her. She would never have been able to live independently, and they don’t like that at the Montagne. Puberty came and went, and she developed no mutant ability.” G looked at Eleni anger banked in his eyes. “A handicapped mutant is bad enough. A handicapped non-mutant doesn’t deserve to live.” 

“Did they kill her?” G looked forward again.

“As good as. Suddenly doctor’s appointments became difficult to book, medicines were always ‘out-of-stock’. Tara was forever getting sick – she seemed to pick up whatever bug was going around. She got one that was too hard for her body to fight off, and I couldn’t get any help.” He shrugged, though his eyes glistened. “I was there with her at the end. She wasn’t alone.”

Eleni reached out to take G’s hand, and gave it a squeeze.

“Just when I think I’ve heard the worst...” She mumbled.

“It was better where you came from, right?” Eleni froze realizing the topic G was breaching. She had never spoken to the man about her life before the Montangne, and he had respected the distance between them and never asked. 

She hated to lie. She shrugged.

“It wasn’t really a great place for me.” G looked surprised and worried.

“What happened? Why did you leave?”

“There was an attack.” Eleni didn’t understand the despair that crossed G’s face. His eyes went distant.

“There was a group of people who arrived a few years after we got here. They didn’t talk much,” he fixed his eyes on Eleni to emphasize the next point, “they take a vow not to in order to be allowed into the Montagne. They are fined, or worse, if they are caught speaking of the outside world.” Eleni recalled G had made an offhand comment about not talking about life outside the Montagne the first time they had eaten together at the cafeteria. Not that she had had any inclination to speak of her former life. “Even with them trying to stay mum, I learned that there had been an attack at their outpost… ‘like a hurricane blowing through the tunnels’.” That sounded like G was quoting someone. “They think they were the only ones who had survived. They barely made it to the Montagne alive.” He sighed, and looked sad and disappointed.

Silence descended on that somber note. Eleni thought they might go back to the Towers when G spoke again. 

“I’ve told you the bad, but what needs to be remembered is the good. Tara was the most beautiful person I have ever known.” He looked at Eleni sideways. “Don’t you dare tell any of the gang, but she called me Gigi.”

**MATTHEW**

Matthew completed the segment of dance, carefully lowering Jenna to the floor. She spun around, as she used to do when they were together, and grinned up at him. He smiled back.

Two and a half weeks had passed since he and Eleni had broken up. Eleni continued to avoid him and refused to talk. Matthew thought he was starting to accept the situation. At least, he no longer felt hurt or angry. Mostly he lived in a luke-warm cocoon of middle emotions, none particularly strong. 

“Very good,” came Madam P’s voice, and he looked up at his dance teacher. “Please add that to the rest of the choreography, and I will be back shortly to see the result.”

She left, and Jenna moved to take her starting position.

The rehearsals for Swan Lake were in full swing, and his university classes had begun a few days ago. Juggling those two schedules was proving to be difficult, as his classes met throughout the day. He was trying to switch to mostly morning classes, and if that worked it would take some pressure off of him.

“Ready?” He nodded to Jenna’s inquiry, and they danced.

It felt good, working on a project with Jenna again. Familiar and comfortable. So unlike his relationship with Eleni.

He had suggested to Madam P that he should also have some time practicing with Eleni, as she was learning Jenna’s role. The teacher had told him, perhaps a bit sadly, but firmly that, for now, Eleni was fine with the practice she had with Adam and Matthew’s understudy.

The segment came to a close, and again Jenna turned to him. This time she reached her hand up behind his neck and pulled him into a kiss.

Jenna had been friendly to him since the start of rehearsal, more so once his breakup with Eleni had been confirmed. The other students at the school were still cool to him, so Jenna’s acceptance had been something of a relief. The kiss brought back memories. Again, it contrasted with Eleni; warm and welcoming where Eleni had been guarded and cool. He pulled Jenna close.

A wretched sound pulled them apart. Cordelia stood at the doorway, her claws out and just run down the stone of the wall. She had a smile on her face; a mix of satisfaction and bitterness. It was quite ugly.

“We are all requested in the auditorium.” She turned on her heel slowly, and left keeping her eyes on them until the last moment. Matthew felt Jenna’s hand slip into his. He looked down to find her smiling shyly up at him. This time, he didn’t smile back, but he didn’t remove her hand, either.

In the auditorium, everyone was gathering in front of the stage. Eleni was nowhere in the crowd of familiar and unfamiliar faces. Much of the cast was from the other two ballet schools who participated in the annual performance. This was the first day they were all here together.

The gathering was to introduce the teachers from all the schools; the heads of the other schools would be working as assistant directors, though Madam Pietrovich claimed ultimate control being the most senior of them. She gave a small speech as she made the introductions.

“This performance is a challenge, and I know that everyone here will work to their utmost to make it the best.” Madam P finished, nailing her message into each and every student with her firm smile and hawk eyes. 

Matthew felt Jenna shift beside him, and looked to find her smiling ruefully at him from where she sat on the edge of the stage. Again, her hand came out and pulled him to her, and his hesitation came too late. Their lips met.

His heart broke.

He didn’t see Jenna’s questioning look as he pulled back, or hear the jeering of their fellow dancers. He rapidly blinked back tears, wondering why the feeling he had finally succeeded in not feeling was suddenly in control of him. Then, it wavered and slowly faded. No, not faded; it was forced back into the iron box where it lived. 

Matthew looked up and to the back of the auditorium in time to see a door close. A large shape was slowly making its way out of the seats. Matthew knew that if he could see G’s face, it would hold nothing but disgust and disdain for him. He stubbornly pushed that knowledge aside.

He ignored the hurt, and followed Jenna back into the practice room. There was nothing he could do. It seemed he and Eleni were at a dead end. Their feelings for each other weren’t enough, and he couldn’t change that fact no matter how hard he tried.

It wasn’t until he heard a door lock behind him that he realized Jenna had not led him back to the practice room. They were in one of the small rooms, populated with a couple chairs, a table and a couch, used for meetings. Jenna came back around him and pulled him into a kiss. He didn’t have the will to refuse.

“Come on, Mattie. Let’s go back to my house.” She whispered a little while later. They had moved to the couch. Matthew moved his lips back to Jenna’s to stop her request. He knew they needed to stop soon, but for now it was something that felt good and he wanted that. 

So, Eleni’s heart was breaking. So what? She was the one who had rejected him. She was the one who had placed an impossible demand upon him. He firmly pushed thoughts of her aside and lost himself in the sensations of being with a woman who wanted him with no conditions. 

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to go back to Jenna’s house and take their time about it, he found himself thinking. It had been so long. He didn’t act on the thought, but he also ignored his hesitations as their clothing started to come off. He pretended not to notice the flash of alarm, horror and hurt as his passion built. He was too far gone by then, he told himself, and the physical sensations, coupled with such a willing partner, provided welcome respite from everything else.

He felt sick after, as he sat beside Jenna, who snuggled against him as if nothing had changed between them in the past year. 

Matthew was turned inward, as occasionally feelings of hurt, betrayal and anger seeped through the bond only to be ruthlessly battered back down. He couldn’t stop himself. This way, he could feel that she was there. That he had gotten her attention.

Matthew had difficulty falling asleep that night. His guilt over causing Eleni that pain had finally taken hold and tormented him. The awkward memory of telling Jenna it had only been sex, and nothing more was the icing on that bitter cake. She had rejected his argument, and he suspected she saw things as repaired between them. He had ignored most of the texts she had sent him throughout the evening.

Finally, sometime after midnight, he started to drift off. 

_Goodbye Matthew._

The thought was as light as a feather, and came as if sent from across the desert. Had he not been in the vulnerable state of near-sleep it probably would not have registered at all. 

He came fully awake, not understanding what had just happened, but knowing beyond a doubt that Eleni was leaving. 

“No!” 

_Don’t leave me! _ The telepathic yell back through the bond was instinctive as he jumped out of bed, working on nothing but emotion.

He was once again rushing to the late-night train to the DownMountain.

It didn’t occur to him to ask why he was heading DownMountain and not to Madam P’s until he was on the train. Nonetheless, he knew he was right. 

Over the past couple of weeks, he had occasionally pondered the thought that he had caught from Eleni’s mind. That she was planning to leave. It hadn’t made sense to him, but now sitting on the train, he worked it out. She had accepted that she couldn’t stay UpMountain, and had already been planning to return to the more welcoming, if destitute, section of the Montagne. She had planned to leave him behind in the process.

He jumped off the train, and reached out telepathically. He didn’t care about alarming her; this would be small compared to the damage he had already done. He mentally called to her once he located her mind.

_Eleni, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry. We need to talk! Don’t leave! _

She shut him out. As well as she could, of course, which was fairly well he judged. He could have reached further in her mind and forced communication if he had wanted. But he didn’t, and she didn’t offer any thoughts or feelings back. The grey veil of determined indifference settled over her mind.

_Come to the station,_ he whispered mentally, tossing the thought at her. He sat on the steps and waited. 

He waited a long time, nearly two hours, before she came. Her eyes were ice, and her feelings frozen along with them. Over the past two hours, he had occasionally felt pain, terror, betrayal, and hatred seep through the bond. He couldn’t feel them now. 

She stopped a few feet from him.

“You’re not going to let me go, are you?” She demanded quietly. “You won’t be able to stop yourself from looking for me.” She was right, but he didn’t respond to that.

“Eleni, what I did was horrible. There’s no excuse. I’m sorry. I truly am.”

“Did you follow me here just to apologize for that?” Her tone was level, but her eyes glared disdain and hatred. Then her lips twisted nastily. “We’re not together anymore. You can screw whoever you choose. I’ll just be there in the backseat every time.” For the first time ever, their bond took on a sinister cast to him. He desperately held on to the fact that when he had made love to Jenna, he had imagined every second as if it were with Eleni, as if that somehow made the situation ok.

Eleni was turning away.

“Elle, I’m going to find a way! A way to keep my telepathy from slipping. It didn’t happen before, so there must be a way to stop it!”

“That doesn’t matter anymore.” She continued to walk away.

“Eleni. Don’t go.” He whispered. Wetness dripped onto his cheeks as she disappeared into the darkness. 

Madam Pietrovich was not impressed with his wrecked appearance the next day. 

He had sat in front of the station the entire night, and had felt small relief when Eleni had appeared in the early morning to take a train back to the UpMountain. She had avoided him after entering the station, and he had not seen her since. 

“What are you doing, Matthew? Your disgusting little tryst with Jenna is far from a secret. You know how vulnerable Eleni is! You have hurt her deeply. She tried to leave last night! I only know because I wake early and found her note before she returned. I’ve been trying to talk her around for you, but after your extracurricular activities yesterday, I will stop.” The aged teacher clenched her jaw at the memory. “Matthew, have you no sense? This behavior is unacceptable for a multitude of reasons, as is your performance today. Go home. I can’t stand to look at you.”

He didn’t go home. He went to the university library and checked out the same books on telepathy he had read before. Then, back in his bedroom, he read as much as he could before he passed out from exhaustion.

Over the next few days, he forced himself to his university classes and dance rehearsal, and but he barely heard the lectures, and was put on a sort of probation for his performance, or lack thereof, at the dance school. He didn’t care; his mind was too occupied by the failure he was meeting in his research. 

The awkward situation he had created with Jenna complicated things to the point that he almost dropped out of the ballet. She, of course, expected him to continue being physical with her; she thought that was all it would take to make everything right between them. 

He tried to push her off her advances as well as he could, but on a few occasions the hopelessness that lingered in him eroded his resolve, and they ended up in dangerously compromising situations from which he was only barely able to disentangle himself. 

Redoubling his thoughts that he didn’t want to do anything that would worsen the situation between himself and Eleni, he started drawing a firm line.

“Jenna, stop! I told you, it was a mistake! There is nothing between us!” Jenna’s eyes flashed as he pushed her away. She was taking this like one of the occasional tiffs of their past relationship.

“You know there is, Matthew! And on that day, you finally admitted it to yourself. What is between us is deep! It’s strong! I don’t know what that slut did that was so great, but it is nothing next to us. You are starting to see that again. Just let her go, Mattie. Come back to me!” The last was a tearful plea, and Jenna stepped up to him again, trying again to pull him close. He pushed her away roughly and hurt flooded her face.

When Master Trenaw, the owner of one of the other dance studios, came in a few minutes later to see about their progress, he tsked disappointedly to find that they were not even dancing and left shortly thereafter. Matthew sighed in frustration, knowing he had another mark against him on his record. 

“Come on, Jenna. We’re here to dance. Let’s get this over with.” He growled. With his anger and her hurt, they hardly appeared like the couple in love that they were meant to be on stage.

Matthew tried again to get access to Eleni, this time through his father. He almost never saw her when he was at the dance studio, and he knew that was no accident.

“I could practice with her?” He asked that same evening at dinner. “Say I just happened to stop by the practice room when you are there…” Adam shook his head firmly.

“You don’t have that time, Matthew. Anyway, she has asked only to dance with you if it is necessary.” In other words, if Jenna was sick. Matthew tried to turn his thoughts away from hopes that Jenna would fall ill, to little avail. His father unfortunately was not done. “And, after what you did with Jenna, Mattie, I don’t know why you are even asking for that. Why did you have sex with her? Some people take infidelity in stride, but for others it is a deal breaker. You knew the risk. At the very least, my past should have been a good example!” 

_Katyana, I’m so sorry!_

Matthew determinedly ignored the thought he had accidently gleaned from his father’s brain.

“It wasn’t really cheating on her,” he muttered lamely.

“But you wanted to get back with Eleni?” A reluctant nod. Adam threw his hands up in exasperation. “And where in that effort does having sex with someone else help?”

“I was so frustrated, and sad because Eleni refused to be with me. Even though she still cares for me!”

“Maybe she just needed some time, Mattie. It had only been a couple of weeks. The earrings really overwhelmed her it seems.”

“It wasn’t the earrings, Dad! She had accepted those!” Adam paused.

“Then what was it?” 

“She was planning to leave. She won’t stay here. She didn’t see us staying together long term. She let that slip.” 

Adam was quiet for a moment. 

“But then, why did you break up? That seems like something you could have worked on over time.”

“When I called her out on it, she got upset.” Matthew lied.

“That was the fight you guys had.” It wasn’t really a question, but Matthew nodded, swallowing another lie. He needed any kind of help he could get.

“I was so happy with her. I felt like we’d finally found a good place. So then to find out she didn’t have faith in our relationship? That really hurt.”

Adam was nodding slowly.

“Mattie, that’s a hard one. I see how much this is hurting you. And things were starting to go well for you two. But,” he took a deep breath, “I can also understand her feelings. I can’t imagine what it must be like for her walking around and knowing that nearly every person she meets doesn’t want her here. And most definitely not with you. I don’t know, Mattie. I don’t know if there is a way forward for the two of you.” Matthew looked away from the help his father was not. At least it had been good to get some of the things that had been eating at his heart out in the open.

His research continued, and he exhausted the books from the library within a week and a half. None of them recommended a method for containing his telepathy. The slips were increasing; he had one every couple days now. He still hadn’t told his father or anyone else, wanting to solve the problem on his own so that he could move on to getting Eleni back.

Desperate, he went to the one place he could think of that he hadn’t yet tried.

“Ho, Mattie. Going after the military women now, are you?” He bristled at the familiar, mocking tone, and turned to see G coming up another side of the building he had just passed. He was on the campus of the military academy, located only a short distance from the university. Remembering the last time they had seen each other, he hesitated before stopping. G noticed, and glared at him.

“You’re right. I don’t really want to talk to you either. But, that doesn’t changed the fact that I’ve missed you.” G slugged him in the arm.

“You finally found your way?” Matthew asked grudgingly and slightly surprised.

“No. They smartened up and started sending people to meet me at the train.” The large man grimaced, an expression that bordered on a sneer. “So now I’m getting poked and prodded and electrocuted.” His nonchalant shrug belied his bitter tone. “Nothing yet. Could simply be the incredible ability to make massively large—“ 

“How is Elle?” Matthew cut his friend off, in no mood for his humor.

“You have no right to know.”

“She left me. I want her back!”

“You have a funny way of showing it.” By the tone Matthew knew that G was aware of all that had passed between himself and Jenna.

“That was a stupid mistake. I’m trying to make up for it.” G’s eyebrows went up, his doubt that Matthew could ever do that clear. Matthew’s spirits fell, and they walked on in silence. Matthew was going the wrong direction, now, but he didn’t want G to know his goal.

“Hey, Mattie,” G caught his arm just before they reached the exit, where Matthew knew he could break away and double back without raising G’s suspicions. His friend pointed to a red-brick dormitory a short distance away from them. Kids from young teenagers down to age 8 or so were playing outside; their play had a militaristic bend to it, with sergeants ordering infantrymen around, but it was play nonetheless. “What is that?”

Matthew shrugged. “Some people send their kids to the military academy from the start. What of it?” He waited for G’s sneering response to the practices of the UpMountain.

“I’ve recognized some of those kids,” was all he said. He looked concerned, but nearly pushed Matthew over with a slap on his back by way of farewell. His parting comment of ‘see you’ was a distracted mumble.

Relieved to be free from G, Matthew doubled back and finally made it to the library on the military academy campus. He entered and registered himself there. The experience made him wince; he didn’t want to be on the military’s radar, but he couldn’t access the library until he did so. The process was surprisingly fast.

An hour later, he emerged with three volumes tucked into his bag, and barely made it to ballet rehearsal on time.

Three days later Matthew left his house in the early morning, and waited for Eleni outside Madam P’s. When she emerged to walk to school, Eleni saw him then walked on as if he wasn’t there. He kept pace and whispered furiously.

“Elle, I’ve found a way. I’m going to try it. If it works, there will be no more slips.”

“I told you that doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t want to see you, Matthew.” She was calm, cold and collected. There were no peeks of emotion through the bond today, except a haze of… complete indifference. Something about it bothered Matthew, but he didn’t have time to ponder it.

“I screwed up big time. I get that, Elle. But I want another chance, and this problem with my telepathy is the only real barrier. I will fix it! So, please, give me another chance! There is nothing between Jenna and I.”

“That’s true,” came the cold reply. Matthew gritted his teeth and was more careful with his phrasing. 

“I won’t let it happen again!” He snapped back, then lost some of his ferocity with his next words. “I…I wanted it to be you! I wanted it to be you so badly.” She sneered at him.

“Next time you should join the Birth Proxy program. You’ll get a bit closer to the mark.” Matthew closed his eyes in pain and frustration. “Look, Matthew, I don’t care if you fix your brain, I don’t care if you screw Jenna every day or anyone else for that matter. We are done. We should never have been together.”

“No! I don’t accept that. I’m going to stop the slips, and I won’t cheat on you again, Elle. You are the only one I want! I am going to get you back!” She shook her head and marched on. They walked in silence for a while. Matthew collected his thoughts again.

“Elle, I mean every word I’m saying. No one here knows me like you do. No one here knows you like I do.”

“Those aren’t reasons to have a relationship. They don’t change who we are, or what you did.”

“I was stupid. Elle, I’m so sorry…” She didn’t respond, and silence reigned again.

The school came into sight, and Eleni picked up her pace. Matthew spoke in a furious whisper, catching her arm to slow her.

“I’m going to do it, Elle. I’m going to fix my telepathy. When I do, please give me another chance!” Eleni pulled her arm away, and wheeled to face him, and finally he felt her anger and hurt. 

“I’ll promise you one thing, Matthew Summers: if, while you are trying to get me to come back to you, you are ‘stupid’ again with someone else, anyone else, then there is no going back for us.”

Her vehemence and sneering disdain stopped Matthew and he watched as Eleni cross the courtyard and entered the school. She had no faith in his ability to meet the demand she had set before him, and recalling his sessions with Jenna, he thought he knew why. Dismayed, he slowly turned to leave ignoring the onlookers who stared at him and whispered to each other.

The next evening, Matthew sat, staring in frustration at the book in front of him. The process was simple: he needed to program a command into his subconscious that continuously told his brain to not allow telepathic reachings. Once that was accomplished, it would be like a hard-wired habit. 

The problem was that the command was usually put in place by another telepath.

It entered a grey area of telepathy. Not exactly mind control, but nonetheless, hobbling a mind in a way that would normally be seen as invasive. He wasn’t surprised this information had only been available in the military library.

Matthew suspected that his own subconscious had been doing this all these years, probably in response to the trauma of his past. With the mind so malleable in the years of childhood, he could imagine his brain inadvertently pulling in his powers as a coping mechanism. He suspected that mother’s death, and the black hole it had created in his mind, had been powerful enough to cause such a drastic reaction. 

Yet, somehow the habit had been undone, and it was difficult to put it back in place. He had to, however. 

He was worried about Eleni.

G had been up that afternoon and commented to him that she seemed distant and withdrawn, and Matthew sensed what he thought of as a detachment from her through the bond. It reminded him uncomfortably of the feeling of dissolution he had felt from her once. After all the work they had done to help her find stability and a moderately good life, his selfishness was now the catalyst for undoing it all.

He had to stop the slips, so he could be close to her again and hopefully repair what he had broken.

Over the next few days, he tried again and again to program his own subconscious to no avail. After a week, he threw the book at the wall in a fit of frustration. He never saw Eleni now and he missed her like crazy. Jenna kept coming on to him in spite of his refusals, and their private practice sessions gave her ample opportunity. Nothing was going the way he wanted it to. He collapsed on his bed ready to cry in desperation.

_Have faith in the Montagne. Believe in the Magnetist._

He growled at the stupid phrase. The young man who had said it to him was becoming a fixture in his dreams; a solid, calming force, someone he could trust. But that person wasn’t around now, and Matthew didn’t really care about the Montagne or Magneto’s legacy. He angrily pushed the words away.

If he wanted to believe in something, it would be that Eleni would come back to him.

_Believe in Eleni._

Eleni. He pulled up a mental image of her; a small smile on her beautiful face, her ever present scarf. She had her arms around him, and was looking at him as she sat next to him on the couch at Madam P’s. Her intense eyes pierced his and he found he wanted it. Eleni.

Somewhere in that image and that mantra, he found inspiration. He focused on it, relaxed, and found himself in a new spot in his mind. A mental foothold, and it seemed solid. Could it work? He pivoted in his own mind, and began attempting mental surgery on himself.

**ERIC**

“You may begin, sir.” Eric Lensher nodded, and initiated the sequence that would eject an emergency escape plane out into the Wastelands. A few moments later he was done.

“Perfect, sir, as always.” 

Eric suppressed a grimace. The only escape plane that had launched in his lifetime had ended up a flaming pile of debris. Being perfect on the initiation held little value when that was the only example of completion he knew.

Shaking the thoughts away, he climbed out of the practice module, and his half-sister stepped in behind him. Travis waited to go after her.

Walking a short distance away, he noticed a figure approaching.

“General Proudstar,” he said in response to the man’s greeting bow.

“Head Lensher, we await His Heir in blood and power.” Eric gave the requisite nod to acknowledge the profession of loyalty. “I see you are busy. I will be brief.”

“That would be good,” Eric replied, not looking at the man. “What is it, General?”

“There is word that you have initiated an exercise for the grey strike team. Is this true?”

Eric was still for a moment. Then he stepped forward, nonchalant, and scoffed, “General, you must admit that that rumor is a bit absurd!”

“Well, sir, you were involved in a strike operation several years ago…”

“Yes. And we all recall how that ended,” he looked back and held the General’s gaze. His lips twisted bitterly. There was no need to put on an act for that. “Tell me, General, where did you hear this rumor?” 

The man hesitated. Eric waited, holding him in his gaze. He was the liege; the man had to answer a direct question. And Eric would know if he was lying.

“Colonel Browncot, sir.” Eric nodded and turned as if the miscellaneous electronics equipment around him were of more interest.

“Ah. Be sure to reassure him, then. I’d hate for the colonel to be losing sleep over such a ridiculous idea.” Proudstar didn’t move, and out of the corner of his eye Eric thought the man’s jaw tightened. The lord turned to face the representative of his military retaining his casual air. “And as you are here, I saw on the register that our erstwhile telepath has decided to engage with the military. That is good news.”

Proudstar gave a slow, stiff nod. “Indeed, my Lord.”

“Is he transferring out of the university program?”

“Not as of yet, sir.” Eric took this information in, then nodded dismissively.

“You may go now, General.” The man bristled, but Eric simply stood there, looking again towards the training escape pod his sister was climbing out of, clearly done with his loyal subject. Finally, there was a grudging salute, and then the man was gone.

A moment later Wanda joined him. Her pale face and blue eyes matched Eric’s, but her hair was black to his white. She was of average height, coming up to his chin. 

Her gaze lingered on Travis, who was attempting to initiate the emergency procedure. The military aid there to assist if needed leaned in.

“No, Lord Travis. This is the order.” 

Eric suppressed a wince, and saw Wanda look away in annoyance. They could have prepped the boy. These training sessions only occurred twice a year.

“We should have run him through it beforehand,” Wanda mumbled, echoing his thought. Eric just nodded. “What did Proudstar want?” she asked next. Eric had been waiting for that. 

“Hmmm? Oh, that. There is some sort of activity that is being linked back to me.” He raised his eyebrows in exaggerated humor. Wanda didn’t buy it.

“Eric, you’re not trying to be clever again, are you? Remember the last time.” The earnest look she gave him next was a complete lie. “I could be a help there.”

“No, thank you.” He looked straight ahead. “Have you been giving any ‘help’ to Tracy?”

Wanda’s face soured, and she gritted her teeth.

“No.” 

Eric felt a wave of truth from her and was relieved, even though the atmosphere between them was noticeably colder. If his niece ever got over her disdain of her mother, and did take the woman’s offer of help, it would not be good for him. The status quo made no one overly happy, but it suited Eric’s purposes. 

Standing stiffly, Wanda took a breath, and wrapped her arms around herself. When she spoke, it was a new topic and colored with disgust. “Could you say something to him about his choice of friends?” She thrust her chin towards Travis, who was on his third try at the sequence. Eric remained silent as Wanda’s gaze took in her only son. “I mean, even the Summer’s boy has smartened up.” 

Eric hummed.

“I’ll think about it. How is Tracy, anyway?” he asked, pushing the topic back a step.

Wanda gave an irritated sigh. “I hear from her when she wants more credit. The military stipend is restrictive as always.” Then Wanda shrugged. “She’s making her mark.”

“Just like her father.” Eric ignored the brief glare his sister threw at him at that mention, though Eric hadn’t been able to resist. He had shed no tears at his ambitious brother-in-law’s death in a bizarre military accident. “Was the DownMountain campaign your idea?”

“No,” Wanda replied shortly, looking away.

The uneasy but strangely companionable silence they normally shared returned.

Eric didn’t hold his sister’s attitude, or her attempts to insert herself into the power structure, against her. Indeed, he was grateful she was cordial to him: she had never really gotten over being supplanted by her younger half-brother as the future Head. 

“The Shaw’s have contacted us about the Rememberance. They are putting the usual program together,” Wanda mentioned.

“That sounds good,” Eric replied. “I don’t look forward to donning those robes.” Wanda coughed a laugh.

“Mother hated that as well. Though she loved the ceremony.” She gave a meaningful glance in Eric’s direction.

“Yes. Mother was quite happy with her position. And she liked to let everyone know it.”

“She ruled the most powerful society on the planet. Most people would do the same.” Eric just nodded to that, but Wanda wouldn’t let it go. “Your father enjoyed it as well. He worked hard to get it. You don’t even have to work that hard.” Eric let the silence after that comment linger. This was a standard conversation for them. “Sometimes I really wonder if he was your father. I don’t see how you could be his son.” That was unusual.

“If he isn’t then Magda played a good joke on him,” Eric countered, and Wanda actually cracked a smile, if a bitter one.

Eric’s father had been a shrewd man, hungry for power and position. He had wooed the Head successfully, and endeared himself to her to the extent that he had managed to negotiated that his progeny would someday receive the Mantle of the Helm in place of Wanda. Magda Lensher, the Head, had come to regret the youthful fling of which Wanda was evidence, and readily agreed. Wanda’s name had been changed to her father’s surname of Lee as the final damning sign of the transfer. It had been, perhaps, not the wisest use of the sweeping powers the Lensher’s had at their disposal.

Magda hadn’t helped the matter by occasionally musing that perhaps it was fate that she had been compelled to name Wanda after the twin who had shunned the monarchy in its infancy.

Travis failed the third try, and Wanda turned away clearly exasperated. She gazed back in the direction Proudstar had departed.

“You could utilize them, Eric. Like mother did,” she said quietly, again obliquely offering her help. 

“Wanda,” he said, his tone warning. His sister graced him with her look of disgust, and again turned away.

He, for his part, had no interest in his sister’s presumption of political aptitude. Nor did he have a desire to emulate their mother. In fact, when he thought of his niece, in truth it was not her similarity to her father that concerned him. It was her similarity to her grandmother.

Travis finally got the sequence correct on the fifth try, and came to join them. He said nothing about his performance, and the adults remained silent as well.

“I was going to walk back by the mausoleum,” Eric said evenly. As he had hoped, both Wanda and Travis declined to join him.

“Uncle, all respect to our ancestors, but I don’t know why you would want to go down there outside of ceremonial times.” Wanda said nothing, and graced her brother with another look of disgust before leaving with her son.

Collecting his two-person entourage, Eric took the passage that would lead him into the dim chambers of their past. As he entered the cavern, his shadows stayed by the door per his request. He was the only person who could open the inner entrance, but there was no other exit for them to lose him through.

Upon entering, the first elaborate grave he encountered was the Tomb of the Phoenix. It was strictly a facade – no body lay within. No one really knew what had become of Jean Grey. The power within her had extended her life by nearly two hundred years. It was said that in the end she had been more entity than human. What was clear, however, were her successes within the Montagne in the wake of the Devastation. Eric was living proof of that. 

Next came the Lensher tomb, and true to his word, Eric did turn towards the stone building and pause. He spared a thought of all those who had come before him, their deeds, their accomplishments, their failures. They were all remembered due to their name, though there were many among them who had little else for which to be memorialized. 

Finally, Eric turned away, and approached a small cluster of stones tucked in behind the larger monuments. These were the graves of people who had proven to be utterly loyal to the family, or distinguished themselves to the Lensher’s in some other way, and in turn were granted the honor of being laid to rest in the Lensher shadow. 

He paused in front of this group, but focused on one grave. It bore no name. It was marked by a stone in the shape of a heart, with motifs on it that matched his pocket watch. Eric gazed at the stone for a long moment, then closed his eyes in apparent meditation.

Moments later he was leaving to spend the rest of the afternoon in fencing practice.

**CITADEL 3021.01.20**

**DAVE**

“So, what’s the plan?” Dave took in the short man standing in front of him. He was shifting back and forth from one foot to the other, clearly nervous. His eyes, however, were intent, and hopeful, if a bit wary.

“Well, these meetings will happen regularly to keep a pulse on the population, people like yourself. Meanwhile, Sanida and I are drafting legislation.”

“Legislation?! You think, you think we actually have a chance of something being made into law?”

“There’s a provision in the charter allowing for a population wide vote initiated from a sufficiently large segment of the population.” The man’s face fell.

“So, we need a lot of people.” Dave waved his head back and forth, negating the man’s dismay.

“I really think we might have it. When I started on this cause, I had no idea of how many people are feeling the pain of the brutal methods our city utilizes. But what I have learned has surpassed my expectations. And to ignite such pain in so many good people, I can’t believe they are abominations!” His companion’s flashed with pain and anger as Dave spoke and the man nodded curtly.

“That’s right! They are killing God’s innocent children, I don’t care what they say about it! I trust you, young man. We at least have to try!” The man shook his hand, and turned to go. 

Dave took a moment to get a drink of water taking energy from the man’s vehemence. He had barely had a moment to himself since the event had begun, but the distraction was welcome. His mood had been low for the past week, and now he was avoiding thoughts of why that was. He hoped this meeting tonight would re-focus him and pull him out of his despondency.

They were in the basement of the temple in Bloc 7, and it was the first open meeting they had held for people interested in his push for mutant amnesty. Sanida and Dave were there to provide an opportunity for people to ask questions about their plan, and provide suggestions or lend support. 

Natal stood by the doorway. He only let people in that he recognized; like Sanida he was quite familiar with the population they were meeting. If there was someone he didn’t recognize, he told them it was a private affair, took their name and contact information, and told them they would be contacted in the near future. They couldn’t be too careful; organizing a meeting like this would be called treason by many in the city.

Dave took a deep breath, managed a smile and inwardly forced feelings of purpose and determination to the forefront.

“So, you’re Robert Kelly’s boy. I’ve been watching you from across the room, and you carry yourself very well. You’re going to go a long way, son, just like your dad, I can see it.” Dave smiled and demurred slightly to the middle-aged woman standing in front of him. His father’s popularity had been mentioned several times already this evening, mostly in praise. It was no surprise, as Robert Kelly was in his third term as a senator. “Not sure he would support this proposal, however.” The woman peered closely at him, waiting for his response. 

“You must know that his main focus has been on supporting the daily welfare of our citizens and their freedoms,” The woman nodded, “I don’t think this is that far a step away from his efforts.”

“But a far more dangerous step. The hawks aren’t going to like it.” She countered. Dave took a breath in and nodded his acknowledgement. He and Sanida started to debate this topic as well: the military had protected the Citadel, kept it viable and made it strong over the centuries. What they were proposing, however, was in direct conflict with the military’s current directives. 

“I believe understanding and management is the key. Not all mutants are born with powers that are a threat. Many of them could help us.”

“Like the weirdo Greenies want.” The woman muttered, and Dave had to think fast. The Green party, a smaller political group, had the audacity to suggest raising mutants until their powers manifested, and ‘making use’ of those who could help heal the planet. In spite of the fact that one of the central tenants of the Citadel’s charter was a complete rejection of slavery.

“Not slavery. No, I would never sanction that. But, I believe there is a way we can all live together. We need to understand more first.” The woman nodded.

“You’ll have to proceed carefully. Can you give me any details?” As Dave responded to the question, the woman listened intently, and made a few pertinent suggestions. After a few minutes, she shook his hand.

“If you go into politics like your father, you are on your way to winning my vote as well.” Inwardly, Dave glowed with pleasure, further pushing off the depressive feelings he was fighting. 

“Thank you, ma’am.”

The two hours they had allotted wound down, and Dave shook hands with his final constituent.

“A rally!” The man hissed, “We need a rally to gather more interest!” 

As the man walked away, Dave felt a surge of satisfaction. He had been making the same argument to Sanida, who was reluctant to do something so public. Yet the topic had come up 10 times that night in conversation. He had counted. It gave him a stronger position from which to negotiate. It also gave him something concrete to focus his energy on, and he knew that would elevate his poor mood. He nodded his head in determined satisfaction.

Natal went to lock the door to the outside as Dave and Sanida started cleaning up the refreshments they had brought. Sanida looked satisfied.

“That went well. A lot of good questions. Some new things we need to think about,” she commented.

“Agreed. We’ll have notes ready next time we meet?” Sanida nodded, confirming the plan they had made ahead of time.

Natal returned to help them clean up. It took a moment for Dave to find an activity, though there was plenty to be done. Realizing what his thoughts had been drifting towards, he purposely joined Natal, focusing on another goal of his.

Natal’s glare at the holiday party had given Dave good guess of the reason for Natal’s standoffish attitude towards him. Sanida had confirmed Dave’s suspicion in private. Dave had waited to bring the topic up; he wanted the conversation be between only Natal and himself. This situation was as private as they were going to get.

Stacking cups to be taken home to be washed while Natal collected plates, Dave spoke softly.

“I never subscribed to their beliefs,” he said, “it was a chance to get to know her, and-"

“Sanida told me.” Natal cut him off. Dave paused.

“Then you know that it was all for show.”

“I just don’t understand how you could have stood being around people like that. And now you are fighting for mutants? It still doesn’t sit right with me.”

“It didn’t feel right, but,” Dave grasped for words. Setting aside the fact that his relationship with Corella had been a lie, there had been value there, “they are people just like us. And we live together in this small, enclosed space. We need to know them at the least, and hopefully live productively with them.”

“When they want to kill us?!” Natal burst out. Dave rocked back in surprise. “Our babies, our families? Why not us? You have blond hair. That’s rare enough, it might be a mutation. Why don’t they kill you?”  
“But we will never help them see differently if we refuse to engage with them!”

“All they do is regurgitate their poison!”

“And maybe they feel the same way about people who think differently! It takes two to tango.”

“Are you saying we are wrong? And you are leading us?”

“No. But I am saying if we don’t try to understand why they do what they do, things will only get worse. Think about it. There is some danger from some mutants. I mean, look at me and tell me that if you heard that, say a magnetist was on the streets, it wouldn’t freeze your blood.” Natal drew up straight at that suggestion, and Dave knew the man agreed. “But the way I see it, there have been some pretty dangerous non-mutants out there as well, and in most cases it comes down to the person, not what random abilities they were born with. We just need to work through it! And hopefully we can get them to see that as well, but it won’t happen if we are not talking to them!”

“They won’t talk to us.”

“That doesn’t mean we don’t give them the opportunity.”

Natal looked to the side, and shook his head.

“I don’t think you understand, Kelly, what it is really like to be one of the ones they hate. I’ve met with far more people in the Network than you, talked to Sani about her brother.” He looked back at Dave. “It’s scary.”

“We have nothing to fear, but fear itself.” Dave intoned quietly. Natal looked away in disgust.

“You just keep telling yourself it’s that simple,” the man said, but then he looked back and to Dave’s surprise, he held out his hand. His tone was grudging. “I’ll cede on one point. By not talking to you, I’m making the problem worse. I’ll see if I can bring you to understand.”

Dave felt a rush of relief as he clasped hands with Natal. They had made progress. Across the room, Sanida turned back to cleaning from where she had watched the exchange.

The room tidy, they picked up baskets and bags holding the dishes, utensils and trash, and left through a door at the back side from where they had held the meeting. It led up into the darkened heart of the temple, an eerie scene with street lights distorted through the sparse windows, and spots of light reflected off metal decorations floating at the sides of the room. Dave found his shoulders twitching involuntarily.

The discomfort tugged at his memory, and he followed the feeling distractedly as he slowly made his way through the room. Had it been his Christmas visit to his mother’s church? He wouldn’t have called that enjoyable, but it didn’t quite correspond with his current feeling of unease. 

Then he recalled the experience that was lurking at the edges of his memory and wished he hadn’t.

_  
The massive stone building reminded him of a tomb: the graceful architecture and stained-glass windows that were supposed to make it beautiful instead turned it into a haunted scene bathed in a lurid glow. It was difficult to breath, and he knew it wasn’t only because of the warm weather outside that was making the stone building into an oven._

_It was August, and he had finally been cornered into joining Corella at church. He was distinctly uncomfortable, and found himself wondering how things had come to this moment. Glancing at Corella, hair pulled back and done up in her somber Sunday best, and felt guilty. Then he glanced around the church, and only knew that he wanted to leave, even though the sermon had yet to begin._

_While most of the stained glass windows portrayed gentle scenes of featuring the Savoir or the Mother, in various acts of goodness, his eyes were drawn to an alcove at the side, where rows of candles stood trapped within a horrific triptych: a woman, clutching a child, being cast out of a house while a man and a woman, arms around each other, and two children stood safely inside; two men, and then two women, embracing, and being burned alive for it; a mutant, twisted and wretched, literally preying upon innocent non-mutant humans, backed by the Father of the Demonspawn as they called him, the infamous magnetist, Eric Lensher himself, pictured with a dark helm and cape, as he destroyed the world. _

_“There is much good here!” He felt Corella squeeze his hand. She looked up at him earnestly, and he saw her eyes flickered to the same alcove. “But there are some things we can never forget.” She added quietly and with a deep breath. Giving him one more glance of encouragement, she looked forward as the service began._

_Dave mumbled his way through._

_“We seek only his forgiveness.”_

_The sermon, on the topic of children stricken with illness, was bearable._

_“We must do what we can to make their lives bright.”_

_The rote cannon, echoed through hundreds of voices, made him choke._

_“…one man and one woman, most blessed when joined in a union under the Human Christ, and the children they bear together. All else is filth.”_

_By the end he was feeling physically ill. Corella looked at him with concern, and at first he didn’t even try to act his way through. Then he recalled he’d agreed to join the family for lunch after the service, and mustered a weak smile._

_“An inspiring sermon, dad.” Corella praised her father at the table. _

_“Thank you.” The man nodded graciously, then cast an evaluating eye at Dave. Had Corella influenced her father on the topic of the sermon to make the experience easier on him? It hadn’t made any difference. _

_“What did you think, Dave?” He didn’t want to make a scene._

_“It was very…powerful.” He hedged. “To be honest I found it a bit overwhelming.” _

_The pastor nodded sagely. “Thank you for your honesty. It is well to be humbled by God. You are starting to feel His Glory.” Dave knew that this god’s glory was the last thing he ever wanted to feel.  
“The candles, what are they for?”_

_“Well,” Corella began softly, “so long as humanity fails in its repentance, the Father will continue to visit his displeasure upon us. Yet, we do not completely abandon those who fall outside of His Blessing.” So, they lit candles for the ones they condemned to make themselves feel better. How quaint._

_Dave couldn’t leave the house fast enough after the luncheon. It wasn’t until he was outside the penthouse building that he realized he’d instinctively gone back to his father’s instead of his mother’s. Not able to bring himself to enter, but not wanting to go to his mother’s townhouse yet, he walked to his father’s office building. _

_The security guard turned him away: his father wasn’t there that day. He was taking one of his rare days off. That meant that Eleni and her mother both had the day off as well. Dave left the building and started walking the city._

_He went from park to park, as many as he could, and scanned the crowds. It was a hot day, and many people were out. Kids played in fountains, and picnics abounded, but none with the people he wanted to see. Tears pressed at his eyes, and late in the afternoon, hungry and sad, he finally returned to his mother’s townhouse._

_“Dave, where have you been?” He scrubbed his eyes clear._

_“Just walking. I needed to think after…you know.” His mother looked at him sympathetically._

_“She is a lovely young woman, but that branch of the religion is...intense.” She cocked her head. “I suspect that Corella herself is not so rigid in her belief, however. There may be hope.” He stared at his mother for a moment, wondering at how completely oblivious to the real situation she was. Through no fault of her own, of course. If she knew the truth, she’d probably disown him._

_“Yeah, maybe.” He mumbled, and forgetting about food again, went upstairs. _

_There, he finally cried. He cried at the fact that he had betrayed so much that he believed in that morning, and all for a stupid stunt. He cried in self-hatred that he had just sat there and listened while three people he loved dearly were repeatedly and violently condemned. He cried because he missed Eleni desperately, and he was afraid, this time, he had gone too far, and hurt her beyond repair. _

“Dave? Dave?!” 

“Wha-?” Dave blinked rapidly, clearing the tears. The memory threatened to derail his path back to productivity. He pushed away insidious tendrils of wretched self-loathing and despair. He had to keep going. “Ah, sorry, I got lost in thought.” Sanida hummed, unimpressed. She must have come back to get him after realizing that he had stopped following them at some point.

“Well, come on. We need to lock up.” She led him to the back of the shadowy room. Natal came into view as a dark shape, and after a moment, Dave realized that someone was with him as one shadowy form suddenly separated into two. Sanida glanced at him sideways. 

Dave breathed out his surprise, but otherwise made no reaction one way or another. He understood Natal better now; beyond that it wasn’t really any of his business. Anyway, he wasn’t in a state where he could expend excess emotional capital. 

“This is Eresh.” Natal made a brief introduction when they arrived. Dave reached out and shook the new man’s hand. He had a narrow face and a shy quality about him. In the dim light it was difficult to discern more than that.

“It’s nice to meet you.” He yawned. “I’m exhausted. It’s been a long night.” 

He waved his goodbyes, and walked out on to the street as the others locked the doors behind him.


	22. Chapter 21

**JAE**

Jae inwardly bristled at her current task. She would show them; she planned to rise to a position of power and become a force within the Montagne military and then she would demand their respect. Then, this treatment would be aught but a distant memory. 

The bag she was carrying through the UpMountain clanked as she shifted it on her shoulder. She gritted her teeth.

Forcing herself to calmness, she walked on this time telling herself this was all part and parcel of the military experience: completing insignificant tasks for her superiors. She needed to accommodate these requests for now, because later it would be her making the demands. She held fast to that thought as she approached the dance school.

Entering through the wide foyer, she made her way into the dark auditorium where she scanned the few groups seated for her contact. People were welcome to watch the rehearsals, so long as they kept relatively quiet, and high schoolers frequently came down after the annual ballet had been announced to watch their friends and hang out.

She turned her eyes away in disgust when she saw that fat clown, G, and a dark-skinned individual with tight braids she didn’t know. Her lip turned up as she recognized Travis Lensher sitting beside them. That boy was a complete failure, though she would never voice that opinion out loud. She moved away from them as she continued her search.

Spotting her contact, she made her way down one of the aisles. Selene Allerdyce looked up lazily as Jae approached.

“Ah, Cadet Summers, how good of you to bring those. Please leave them in practice room 2B.” Jae just stood there for a moment, grating at the woman’s tone. They had started training at the same time, and while Selene was a couple years older than Jae, from the point-of-view of the military hierarchy, the woman was her equal. She considered telling Selene to drop the bottles off herself. Then, glancing around, she decided she didn’t want to make a scene. She nodded and turned away.

“Um, Cadet, it is rude to walk away without acknowledging your superior.” Jae looked back in disbelief as several of Selene’s friends tittered. The woman’s eyes had a nasty bent to them, and Jae reevaluated the woman she had sometimes hung out with over the years when she had tagged along with her brother.

“That is true, Cadet Allerdyce,” was all she said, and she left, ignoring how Selene’s eyes narrowed dangerously. 

She didn’t recall the layout of the rooms behind the auditorium – it had been a while since she had spent any time at the dance school - and had to ask directions to room 2B. Fortunately, it turned out to be the first door in the hall outside the side door of the auditorium. 

She received a small shock when she entered: Jenna Frost was there warming up. The auburn-haired woman smiled warmly, and Jae relaxed a bit, a grin tugging at her own lips.

“Hi Jae!” Jenna came over as Jae went to the table in the corner to deposit her load. “I think your brother is smartening up, and you’ll be seeing me around again.”

“Jen, you are too forgiving after the act he’s been pulling! But it would be great to have you at the house again,” Jae said softly. “Um, Selene said I should leave these here.” 

Jenna looked on as Jae pushed away the paper packaging to reveal a set of 6 glass bottles filled with water. She blushed, hating the fact that Jenna was witness to her performing such a menial task. Jenna grimaced in sympathy.

“I’m sorry if Selene put you up to that. I made a comment to her about the taste of the water from the taps here, and she’s gone and made it some kind of joke.” Jenna laughed, and Jae thought there was a nervous quality to it. She appreciated the fact that the woman felt some responsibility for her humiliation. She smiled to reassure.

“It’s ok, Jen. I’ll be seeing you around then.” Jenna grinned, and nodded. Jae couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen the woman looking so happy, but was glad for it. No matter the reason.

As she left the room, Jae saw her brother emerge from the auditorium, and turned the other way, walking further into the network of halls behind the auditorium. After loitering for a minute, she retraced her steps and was relieved to find the door to room 2B closed. Her brother was not in sight, though there were two individuals in conversation a short way from the door. She passed them, but instead of leaving immediately, she went back into the auditorium to meet up with some other friends she had seen hanging out there.

**ELENI**

Eleni finished clearing the sheets of math problems she had been doing with some kids at the center. Many of them had sentences from a variety of languages jotted on the edges now. The kids constantly tried to stump her by pulling out what they thought were obscure tongues, but she had known them all so far. It was a pleasant distraction for her.

Everything clear, she checked the clock and decided it was time to leave.

“I’ll see you tomorrow!” Eleni called, as she moved towards the entrance to the Towers. A scattering of ‘good byes’ followed her out. At the entrance, Patches looked up from the message he was sending to smile at her. She nodded politely, and mustered a small smile back.

She walked the familiar path to the station, her eyes watchful for her surroundings as usual. However, her mind was quickly occupied with the thoughts that pestered her no matter how hard she tried to stop them.

She felt trapped. Ever since the night Matthew had followed her DownMountain, she had been filled with a hopelessness that she couldn’t shake. It had grown over time, mixed with her other sundry feelings: her anger at what Matthew had done, at odds with how much she missed him, her exhaustion in the face of the abuse she faced UpMountain. It all stirred her to inactivity, and made life a series of meaningless motions. She just wanted to sit somewhere safe and watch the world dwindle away around her.

She sighed, longing for her bed where she could do just that, when she suddenly realized there were two people walking abreast of her. Alarm spurred her and she picked up her pace. They did, too. Dropping back and cutting behind one of them, she moved down a different street as if she had just recalled something she had to do. She walked fast, and when she turned the next corner, she spotted them again. They had backtracked and made the same turn she had, even though they had already gone by that intersection. Eleni started breathing deeply and prepared herself, pushing down the panic that arose inside of her.

A third person literally materialized in front of her.

“Oh, sorry!” they said as if their appearance had been an accident. Eleni knew now that anyone with an ability to disappear wouldn’t be living DownMountain; they would have been moved Up with the rest of the gods.

“Pardon me, I’m in a bit of a rush.” Eleni made to circle the person, but they stepped with her. She veered back and made to run, but then a feeling of calm came over her.

“Come with us,” a voice said behind her, and then the other two were there flanking her, and though she didn’t understand why, she went with them.

Her brain, weak and lackadaisical, struggled to work, and was slow to make connections, but it did. Matthew was the only telepath in the Montagne, so they were controlling her via other means. Or, calming her, not controlling her. She could still think. Somehow, they were calming her so she was less likely to resist. But how? Her brain struggled on.

After learning the Head was an empath, she had done some research on the ability. Empaths were people who could sense and manipulate feelings, though they couldn’t discern specific thoughts or enter another mind. So, it was likely she was dealing with an empath; one of the three people around her was making her feel unnaturally calm, and wanting to accompany them. It had to be one of the original two, as the third had revealed her powers already.

Eleni noticed that one of her original two pursuers was walking close enough they were almost touching. She guessed he was the empath. 

That knowledge didn’t spur her to act, however, and while she tried to think of a way out of the situation, her brain kept stumbling on the eerie thought that she should be feeling very afraid, as they guided her into a dark building that looked to be abandoned.

**MATTHEW**

“Here, Mattie” Jenna passed him a bottle from the pack on the table, and he took it gratefully. 

Things finally seemed to be looking up; he had had no telepathic slips since he had found that foothold, and programmed in the mental loop a week and a half ago. Matthew was feeling hopeful, and had started carefully choosing the words he’d say to Eleni when he told her of his success in a few more days.

On top of that, Jenna had backed off a bit, making rehearsal easier. February had just begun, and they hadn’t lost that much time to the awkwardness of the past few weeks.

He drank half the bottle, then set it down next to Jenna’s from which she had taken a sip. They resumed dancing.

It felt good. The difficulties between himself and Jenna melted away further. He was dedicated to this performance, and was happy they were finally on the same page. He found himself grinning at how well they were dancing together, and then laughing when he tripped a bit. Jenna smiled, understandingly.

“Maybe we should take a break.” That sounded like a good idea. They settled in a couple of chairs at the edge of the room. Jenna kissed him.

“Jenna, I told you. It was a mistake when I let that stuff—” She kissed him again.

“Really, Mattie? Is that how you feel now?” She had moved her chair closer to him, and now their bodies were touching in several places. It felt really good.

“Jen…I…don’t…think…” She kissed him again, and he forgot what he had meant to say.

**ELENI**

“We just want to talk to you. It’s Eleni, right?” The woman’s tone was friendly, and the man’s manipulation of her was making Eleni open to what she said. “You are very talented and everything, but your place is not UpMountain. We think you know that.”

“I do.” The woman smiled. It was proving easy enough to make them happy. Then maybe they would let her go. She was sitting by the wall of room in that abandoned building. It was dusty, and her fingers idly brushed a small pile that had collected on the floor besides her.

“Good, good. Then, we think you will understand what we are about to say. It’s only to help you out. We’ve talked to the Yamada Dance Studio, a fine DownMountain institution. They are happy to take you on.”

“That sounds good.” Another smile, and Eleni smiled back. Yes, she would still be able to dance, without all that pressure. 

“And you can live in the dormitories. You’ll have so much more freedom there!”

They had had her, until they mentioned the dormitories. 

She had thought she was playing along. No, she _had_ been playing along. Until she hadn’t. Her distaste to living in the dormitories was strong, but when her objection met resistance, she understood what they were doing. The empath was changing how she felt about the things they were telling her to do. Making her want to do them. Could he permanently change how she felt? She recalled that it depended on how strong he was and quickly determined she didn’t want to find out.

“So, after we’re done here, we’ll go set you up. Don’t worry about Madam Pietrovich, we’ll explain it to her.”

That sounded good. Eleni hated to betray the woman’s faith in her.

_No._

Dimly realizing she was losing herself again, she despaired that she could fight the empath’s power. Moving only on instinct, her hand desperately grabbed at the sand on the floor, and she flung it at the empath before her will disappeared entirely.

The man’s head snapped back and he cried out in pain. The pain flooded Eleni, but being used to managing another’s feelings in her mind she pushed it aside and grasped for the emotional autonomy she felt returning. 

The women didn’t fare so well, and Eleni saw one of them close their eyes and flinch back as the empath’s emotions struck her. As Eleni lurched to the side to get away, however, the other noticed and tried to grab her. The arms clipped her shoulder, pushing her against the stone wall where her head collided painfully. She ignored the hurt and tried to scuttle away.

The woman grabbed her leg.

**MATTHEW**

“Eleni!” The sense of pain through the bond shocked Matthew back to himself. He was on some kind of semi-soft surface. The mats. The mats that were stored in each practice room had been unfolded. And he was lying on one. Why--?

A sensation answered that question with horrifying clarity, and he realized Jenna was with him, too. And he realized what they were about to do.

“No!” He pushed her away. If this got out, Eleni would never come back to him.

“Wha..?” Jenna was breathless. “Mattie, don’t fight it. We are so good together. You know that.” She tried to climb back on top of him.

Matthew was having trouble focusing. What she was offering was so tempting…

There was another burst of pain through the bond. Pain! Eleni was hurt! He pushed Jenna away again.

“Eleni,” he whispered desperately trying to focus on his goal. Something was wrong; he could feel that she was scared, terrified, but it was hard to motivate himself even with that knowledge. Jenna grabbed his arm as he tried to stand and pull his practice pants back on.

“Mattie, forget about her! Please!” Matthew pushed her away, managed to dress himself, and stumbled towards the door. He wrenched it open, and nearly lost his balance as it had already been ajar. He clumsily pushed past two people who had been hovering outside and stumbled into the hall.

**ELENI**

Eleni managed to flip herself over and kick the woman who was holding her in the face. She recoiled back, both hands over her left eye. The empath was still trying to scrub dust out of his eyes, which left Eleni with the last one, the woman who could disappear. She was nowhere in sight. 

Eleni scrambled to her feet and ran for the door. When she passed the threshold, she was grabbed by a pair of arms as the woman rematerialized. 

“You effing sewer rat, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll hold still.” The arms tightened around her as Eleni fought back. As if following the woman’s orders, Eleni relaxed, and the woman breathed out in relief. Then Eleni lifted her foot intending to bring it down hard on the woman’s instep. The woman felt her move, and shifted her foot away at the last moment. Keeping one hand tight around her, she punched Eleni in the side with the other. Eleni winced at the sharp pain.

“Stay still, dammit. Jonas! Get your butt over here now!”

The mumbled reply from the empath was lost as something hard hit the woman holding Eleni in the head, then clattered to the ground. The second projectile made the woman let Eleni go, and not looking to see who had come to her rescue, Eleni fled the building.

_Eleni!_

The distant, but familiar mental call made her sob. There was nothing that she wanted more in that moment than to have Matthew by her side.

**JAE**

_Eleni!_

Jae froze in horror. What was wrong with her brother? He never projected telepathically. Why was he doing it now? To prove some kind of point? Jae ignored the questions from her friends and made for the side door that led to the practice rooms.

There, in the hall, she found her brother, shirt off, stalking down the hall, yelling like a lunatic.

“Eleni! I have to get to her. I have to tell her, it wasn’t….it wasn’t…” He lost his train of thought, and grabbed his head with his hands. Jae was rooted to the spot in shock as she watched the tall man lurch like he was drunk. Something was seriously wrong with her brother.

The fat man and Travis pushed through the crowd that had gathered behind her, and went over to Matthew.

“Mattie, you ok?”

“G. G! It’s Eleni. I need to find her. I hurt her…she’s hurt…” Still holding his head, he was shaking it back and forth as he spoke. Jae found it disconcerting and uncomfortable.

“Mattie…did you take something?”

“I feel…weird… I gotta get to Eleni! I need to talk to her!”

A motion to the side drew Jae’s attention, and she welcomed the distraction. Jenna, awkwardly covering her face with her hands, slipped out of room 2B and ran away down the hall. 

“Come on, G. Let’s get him to the hospital.” 

Jae, attention focused on the practice room she had been in not so long ago, hung back while G and Travis led Matthew away towards the front exit with a couple teachers and students following. The remainder of the crowd buzzed as they pressed back into the auditorium. Belatedly, Jae started moving after her brother, but once the hall was clear she turned and slipped back into the practice room.

There, the package of water bottles stood as she had left them, save for two: one nearly empty and one barely drunk. She returned those to the sectioned box, and wrapping it back up as best she could, slung the carry strap back over her arm. Relieved to see the hallway clear, she wracked her memory for the way to the back entrance, and left in the direction Jenna had fled.

**ELENI**

Back at the safety of the Towers, ensconced in the 4th floor room she used to dance in, Eleni focused on her breathing and regaining her sense of calm. 

Once she had escaped the building, it had been clear they had brought her to Katya’s Locker. Oriented, she had come straight back to the Towers. It had been the closest destination that she considered safe.

Now, she took stock of her physical injuries. None of them were bad – no one had noticed anything strange when she came in. She had a lump on her head where it had hit the wall, and her side throbbed where she had been punched, but she was fairly certain both would subside to bruises within a day. 

She shivered, wrapped her arms around herself and took another deep breath.

Just as she reached an acceptable level of calm, Patches appeared at the ballroom doorway and came to sit down next to her. His eyes were concerned. She hoped he hadn’t noticed anything untoward. He hadn’t, but what his words revealed did little to assuage her state of mind.

“They talked to you, didn’t they? They said they would.” As she struggled to attach Patches to the people who had essentially taken her prisoner and try to change her mind against her will, she remembered the young man sending a message on his mote as she left. She felt sick. 

He was still talking. 

“This is where you belong. They’re just a bunch of self-centered snobs up there. It’s not worth it to deal with them. And the DownMountain has so much to offer. G helped me to see that. We have a strong community here, good people. And…and you can dance down here, too…” So, they had told him about that. Eleni said nothing. She didn’t have anything she wanted to say to this man.

He took a deep breath. “My mom always said it was important to tell people how you feel, to give them a chance to respond. I like you a lot, Eleni. I hope you might consider me…” He looked at her expectantly. She forced herself to speak. Soon enough she would never have to see this man again.

“Patches, I…I’m just not in a place where I can think about things like that.” His face fell. She didn’t care. “I need some time to myself.” He hesitated, but thankfully got up and left her on her own.

She sat, desperately trying not to think of the attack she had just escaped. The attack Patches had unwittingly aided. The young and naive being used to forward the aims of the ambitious.

Unbidden, a memory caught and held.

_“Don’t you make a sound, bastard, you hear? It makes me sick just touching you. Your daddy should never have let you be born. Your mom is pretty. Maybe I can’t blame him for slipping it in there. Wouldn’t mind doing it myself, but she should have been spayed like all the other bitches in the city. An effing disgrace.”_

_10-year-old Eleni was pinned to the ground in the sheltered nook of an alley. No one from the busy street that was only 20 feet away would see what was happening if they glanced down. A total of four gang members encircled her. The leader, a boy of perhaps 18, had her pinned on her stomach. He straddled her back, his legs pressing down on her arms rendering her helpless. She struggled to breath and to control the panic that fluttered in her chest._

_ “And the children shall be cherished,” intoned a voice behind him, picking up the familiar litany, “when born of one man and one woman and most blessed when joined under the eyes of the Human Christ. All others, and all other intercourse, is filth. Until the day we renounce our sin and embrace the pure, the demonspawn shall be visited upon us, and He shall rain Hell down upon the Earth!”_

_ “We seek only His forgiveness!” came the echoed reply. _

_ “You know your place, don’t you, bastard? You’re nothing. But if you know what’s good for you, you’ll tell us what you hear, when you’re playing under your daddy’s desk, after he and your mommy are done screwing on top of it. You tell us all of that, ok? And things will be just fine between us.”_

_ The young man would have continued his threats, however a cohort of his, a large boy wearing a spike studded jacket, tripped and collapsed on top of him. The leader’s knee, carrying the weight of both the men, crushed her right arm as he was shoved off her to the side. The pain made her scream. _

_ “You idiot!” came a voice. “We weren’t supposed to hurt her. No physical proof they said!” _

_ “Forget about her! Ted needs us!” It seemed that the leader had also been injured, jabbed by the jacket’s spikes and badly bruised. In the confusion and concern over his well-being, Eleni was able to scramble out of the nook. Her relief at seeing a person the alley mouth was palpable. They had heard her scream and paused. They, unknowingly, helped her get out of the alley safely, although she quickly begged them off, saying her arm was just sore. _

_Making her way down the street, tears started pouring down her cheeks as the adrenaline that had helped her escape faded and the pain took over. She made her way home but didn’t bother to call her mother. She lay in her bed for hours, with her pain, until the woman came home and found her there._

Eleni shivered. She did her best not to remember the majority of her experiences from the Citadel. When, months later, she had returned to school, she had been relieved to find the Humanist gangs had not resumed their pursuit of her. Her mother mentioned that Senator Kelly had taken some action, and apparently it had worked. 

She focused on the present. Patches’ inadvertent revelation and the memory had brought her to a state of anxiety again. She had to push the feeling away, so that she could think. So that she could figure out what to do next. In her desperation, she drowned them.

As the emotions receded, she stopped. What was she doing? The answer was obvious. It was time to leave. She had already given up on removing the bond, and she would just have to trust that Matthew would not try to follow her where she planned to go. She could slip away tonight. 

_Matthew._ She gritted her teeth and purposefully thought of the disgusting experience he had put her through. It did the trick. But thoughts of Bright, G and Travis and the other people she had come to know, Madam P and Adam, pulled at her heart. She focused on something less confusing.

In the nine months since she had been here, she had been attacked three times; the cadets, Dwyane and now this anonymous group. Was she going to sit and wait for the next time, with the potentially devastating consequences that could result? 

Then there was the logic of this moment. She didn’t even need to return to the UpMountain; she had been stocking supplies down here for the past few weeks. 

These thoughts battered at the foolish emotions that would have her stay. Finally, she took a deep breath, and pushed her feelings down. Hard, again subsuming them. She knew she could leave it all behind: she had done it before. She stood up to leave.

Her message mote vibrated, and Eleni froze. Her hand hovered above her pocket where the mote was located. She made a fist, then grabbed the device and dropped it behind her. She walked on. 

Scarlet was at the entrance to the building, locking up for the day. When she saw Eleni, she was surprised. 

“I didn’t think you were still here. G’s looking for you. I just got a message.”

“I came back for something. Heading back Up now. See you tomorrow?” Eleni lied smoothly.

“Yeah. I hope Mattie’s alright. Give him a good smack when you see him, but then consider giving him another chance. I hear he’s behaving himself now, and you are one unhappy puppy when you’re not getting your just desserts.”

Most of Scarlet’s rant washed over Eleni without effect as she latched on to four words: _"I hope Mattie’s alright.”_

“I forgot my mote,” she mumbled, and ran back to where she had dropped it.

G met Eleni at the entrance to the hospital. 

“She drugged him, Elle,” he said this firmly, holding her eyes, and not giving her any chance to be contrary, though she didn’t yet understand the import of the statement. This was only the second thing he had said after telling her that Matthew was a bit out of it but that he would be ok.

Eleni had gleaned that Matthew was not himself on the train ride up. Opening herself to the bond as she had not actively done for weeks, she had been assailed with panic, anxiety and desperation. She supposed the emotions had been masked by her own anxiety, else she probably would have picked up on them sooner.

As G quickly filled in the details, Eleni found herself nodding, numbly, and she understood. She tried to keep the information distant. Her head did not want a reason to exonerate Matthew. Her heart, however, was another matter.

Giving her the floor and room number, G left for the train and she slowly mounted the stairs. She shouldn’t be here. That thought kept echoing through her mind. Nonetheless, her feet kept climbing.

Had the incidents from this afternoon been coordinated? It was logical, but it seemed absurd that these frivolous people would go to such lengths. In G’s fight with the UpMountain to claim Matthew’s soul, it suddenly seemed that the UpMountain would inexorably win. It was a terrifying thought.

When Eleni reached Matthew’s room, his eyes found her immediately. He tried to get out of bed, but his father pushed him back down. The effects of the drug was evident in his wide, darting eyes. Eleni crossed to the other side of the bed from Adam. Both the father and the son looked a wreck.

“Are you ok, Matthew?” 

“Elle, oh Eleni, I didn’t want it. I don’t want her. I only want you. I love you! Oh Elle, please believe me. Please don’t leave me!” Matthew was on the verge of tears. He could be emotional at times, but this was extreme. She didn’t know what to make of what he was saying to her, and her dominant reaction was revulsion. She held her own emotions close.

Adam came around the bed and stood behind her.

“He needs to sleep. It’s the easiest way for his body to clear out the drug. Keeping himself up like this is making things worse.” Eleni nodded to the whispered information. She sat down on a chair beside where she was standing, but then moved on to the edge of the bed itself so she could reach up and take Matthew’s face in her hands. She needed to calm him down.

Lightly stroking her thumbs on his cheeks as if he were a child, she reassured him, “Matthew, I’m right here. I’ll stay with you until you wake up. I won’t go, I promise. It will be easier to talk after you sleep.”  
Panting in his exhaustion, he put his hands over hers. He calmed a bit.

“Are you ok? I felt…” She spoke quickly, hoping Adam hadn’t been listening closely.

“You mean this scratch?” She pointed to the bump on her head. “I was hurrying, and tripped and bumped my head.” She didn’t think Matthew could pick up lies in his current state. She was right.

Matthew nodded, gripping her hands lightly. “I’m so tired. But I don’t want to stop looking at you. I’ve missed you so much.”

She pushed him down on the pillows. “Then don’t stop. Like I said, I’m not going anywhere.” The words tumbled out of her mouth, bypassing her common sense.

She moved back to the chair, and laid her head on the pillow so she was looking at Matthew. He shifted so he was comfortable, and smiled at her, resting his hand on her cheek. “I love you,” he said again. She just stared back at him, not trusting anything he said. Anyway, she couldn’t allow herself to let him back in.

It was a mark of his exhaustion that his eyes drooped shut within a minute of lying down. After he had been asleep a few minutes, his breathing deep and even, she sat back up. Adam tapped her shoulder, indicating that he wanted to talk to her in the hall.

Madam Pietrovich was there. She handed a cup of tea to Eleni, and the three sat on chairs outside Matthew’s room.

“G told me what happened,” she said before they started reiterating the story. She had no desire to hear it again.

“Thank you for coming,” Adam said, after a pause. Eleni looked at her cup of tea and nodded. “He cares about you very much. I hope you know that. I,” he paused, but then pushed on, “I don’t think everything he said in there was because of the drug.” 

Eleni again nodded to her tea. She didn’t want to think about what Matthew had said. Feelings were piling up in her, feelings from the past couple of weeks, feelings from her decision to leave made only an hour ago, feelings from what Matthew may or may not have meant. They were getting difficult to control. She tried to push them under, but they bobbed back up.

She took a deep breath, finding something to focus her. “I’m going to stay here tonight. I told him I would.”

“Child, you need rest, your schedule probably is going to be getting a lot busier.” Eleni looked at the dance teacher in confusion. “While there remains some doubt now, once the truth teller questions Jenna, she will be expelled from the school. That includes the annual ballet.” Though there was a note of vindication in the woman’s voice, it was not without sadness and regret. “I anticipate some resistance, but if I have my way, you will be the Swan, as you should have been from the start. Jenna is technically flawless, but your dancing,” the woman paused, and a determined note pierced her regret, “is both skilled and mesmerizing. You have a depth that she lacks.”

The ballet. As understudy, it had been an almost passive part of her schedule. Much of the practice had been done on her own, supplemented by limited partner rehearsals with Adam or the male understudy. Mentally, however, with Matthew becoming distant in her life, so had the ballet. 

Now, she was suddenly in the spotlight. Just when she had decided to quietly slip away. Trapped again. She forced incredulity.

“I, I just can’t believe it.” That was true. “It will take Matthew a few days to recover.”

“The drug should be out of his system by tomorrow morning, so the doctor’s say. It is only because he was forcing himself to stay awake that he ended up in that state. It normally doesn’t happen. So, the two of you will be at the studio after lunch. We will take it slow, for sure, but there is plenty to keep us busy even with limitations.”

Unable to think of an objection, Eleni nodded numbly.

**MATTHEW**

Matthew rolled his head back and forth on the pillow. It felt like a rock. Experimentally, he opened his eyes. They seemed to be working fine. He rubbed the feeling of gravel out of them. 

Looking around, he saw that he was in a hospital room. He started to recall bits and pieces of the previous afternoon. He had been out of it, and Jenna had tried to have sex with him. He pushed the memory away. Somehow, Eleni had stopped them. No, that wasn’t quite right. Eleni! She had been at the hospital. She had told him she wasn’t leaving him. Hadn’t she?

As he moved to sit up, his right arm bumped a warm body. Slowly, he turned himself sideways, and relief flooded him as he saw Eleni’s sleeping form. She was sitting in a chair, leaning forward with her upper body resting on the bed, her arm pillowing her head. Her face was turned away from him. Gently, he laid his arm on her shoulders and rested his cheek against her swathed head.

“We tried to get her to go home, but she refused.” Adam sat on a couch against the far wall, a rumpled blanket and pillow to either side of him. He looked from Eleni to Matthew, then looked away.

“I feel awful.” Adam stood up and brought a cup of water to Matthew who drank it down awkwardly, trying to stay as close as he could to Eleni but not wake her up. The water tasted wonderful. “Why am I in the hospital?”

“You can thank Travis and G for that. They brought you straight here. You probably didn’t have to come here – you weren’t in any physical danger. But the blood test confirmed that you had been drugged. We still don’t know how….”

Matthew handed the cup back to his father, and laid his head back down next to Eleni. The previous afternoon was still coming together in his brain. “Jenna gave me some bottled water…it must have been that.” Adam looked ashen at that news. “I can’t believe she did that to me.”

Adam turned away rubbing his face. “She made a terrible choice. This sort of thing is what Madelyn and I were worried about. I feel like I should have seen it coming. I tried to talk to Jenna a while back, but she blew me off.” Adam didn’t look at Matthew while he talked. His discomfort was clear. This time, it was Matthew who looked away.

Matthew knew Adam didn’t expect him to try to cast his troubled past in a positive light, but he usually acknowledged his father’s turmoil. He couldn’t today. He understood only too well what Katyana Pietrovich might have felt when Adam, with what he thought were the best of intentions, had drugged and raped her.

The room lapsed into silence. To distract himself from thoughts of his father’s past and its wretched similarity to what had happened to him, he instead gazed down at Eleni sleeping beside him. 

“I’ll go get some food,” Adam said, his voice cracking. Matthew wasn’t sad to see him go.

Matthew lay there beside Eleni and took in her presence. He had missed her so much these past weeks. He tried to move closer to her without waking her, but failed. 

She sat up and looked at him. As usual, a curtain fell over her mental state.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“OK. Better than last night,” he replied. “Eleni, with Jenna, I, I didn’t—”

“I know. G told me,” she said, and he was relieved he didn’t need to defend himself. “Matthew, what Jenna did---” Now he cut her off.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Her sympathy was welcome, but he didn’t want to dwell on what had been done to him. Eleni looked at him, then nodded.

In the silence that followed, he got himself ready to say the words he had practiced, hoping against hope they would bring Eleni back to him. His voice wasn’t as steady as he had imagined, and his stomach refused to shake off the queasy feeling it had adopted since he had recalled yesterday’s events, but he nonetheless pushed on.

“Elle, I haven’t had a slip in my telepathy in a week and a half. They did increase,” he admitted, “and were happening every few days, so this change is significant. I found a method. I think I was using instinctively, before. It makes my brain constantly pull in any subconscious telepathic urges.”

“OK.” Eleni was non-plussed.

“If I have any more slips, I promise, I will tell you immediately.” She looked at him, dismay clear on her face.

“Matthew, that doesn’t matter anymore.” Matthew’s heart stopped. “And anyway, after what has happened to you, this isn’t the right time to talk about us,” she continued quietly. Her hold on the veil over her emotions was slipping, and trepidation leaked through. He almost started crying. 

The door to the room opened, derailing their conversation. Adam entered with a woman and a man Matthew didn’t recognize.

“Eleni, good, you’re up. We’ll need some time while the inspector speaks to Matthew. Why don’t you head home and get some rest?” Eleni nodded, and got up to leave. Matthew caught her hand.

“Will you wait here? I still need to talk to you.” She hesitated for a moment.

“Mattie, you saw how she slept.”

“It’s ok, Mr. Summers,” Eleni said softly, looking at Matthew. “I’ll wait in the hall.” She turned away.

“Matthew,” his father continued once Eleni had exited, “this is Inspector Munroe. She has a few questions to ask you.”

Matthew suffered through the interrogation; the inspector asked questions and her assistant wrote down his answers. The fact that the drug test had come up positive necessitated action by the authorities. Some of their question didn’t make sense to him, such as whether he accepted the water bottle willingly. Matthew, wanting to put the whole incident behind him, focused on answering them as quickly as possible. 

“So, Mr. Summers, you have the option of pressing charges. If you do, there will be a trial, though it seems the outcome of that would be fairly certain.”

“Fairly certain?” Matthew asked sharply. He hadn’t really cared about what the man was saying, but it was clear cut what had happened.

“Well, we don’t know for sure how you were drugged. You know, whether it was voluntary or not. Or whether Jenna in fact did it.”

“What? She provided the water.”

“Yes, but there are no water bottles now, and no one recalls seeing Jenna with them. She was with her friends in the auditorium until shortly before you arrived. There wasn’t much time for her to retrieve them, if that is what she did.” Matthew stared, stunned. Some of the questions they had asked started to make more sense, “It doesn’t mean you wouldn’t win the case, I am just pointing out that some of the facts are not yet there.”

“Mattie, we’d get a truth teller,” his father reassured him. He knew that of course, but his mind still grappled to reframe the events as an encounter between two willing individuals.

The inspectors left, and Adam as well to get the food he had been waylaid in obtaining. Matthew was still managing his disbelief when Eleni came back in.

“If Jenna wanted to, and I didn’t have access to a truth teller, she could try and make it look like I took the drug to have a good time!” he burst out. 

“That sounds about right,” Eleni said softly as she sat down next to the bed. He stared at her. She met his gaze evenly. “Do you want to talk about it?” He shook his head. He wanted to forget about it.

“I want to talk about us.” He reached out and grasped Eleni’s hand. Eleni looked down, and then away.

“This isn’t a good time to do that, Matthew. Not after what you have just been through,” she repeated.

“Is there ever a good time, Elle? Is there any time you’ll let me have a real conversation with you anymore?” Her eyes flickered back to him, then away again. “Please, Elle, I told you about my telepathy. I don’t think there will be more slips, and I promise I will tell you if there are.”

She listened, but didn’t look at him. The silence dragged on.

“Eleni, I’m just asking for another chance.”

“You are going to insist on doing this now?” Her voice shook, but he was happy she was responding.

“Yes.”

“Then tell my why you had sex with Jenna.”

“Wha-? But I didn’t-“

“A few weeks ago! When you knew I’d be able to feel it?!” She looked at him now, anger and accusation on her face. Her tone echoed with hurt. He gaped. Somehow, he’d thought they were past that.

“I…I wasn’t think…” His voice faltered as a dreadful certainty settled over Eleni. It was his turn to look away. He knew he had to admit what he didn’t want to. “I was really hurt when you rejected me for something I felt was beyond my control. And then…you asked me to wear a collar.” That still made him uncomfortable, “I suppose some of it was...revenge for that. I’m sorry I hurt you in that way.”

“Beyond your control? One of the first things you said to me when you told me you were a telepath was that you never go in someone’s mind without their permission. How can you hear my thoughts if you weren’t in my mind?”

He gaped again. There was more distinction involved in what happened when telepaths picked up stray thoughts. But he couldn’t deny her logic – he was the only one here who had the ability to stretch his mind beyond the confines of his brain. “You’re right. I didn’t intend to lie, but…what I told you…it wasn’t entirely the truth.” Eleni took in a deep breath. She almost looked surprised. She went on, a bit calmer now.

“You must have felt my reaction. You had your revenge. But you didn’t stop.” He closed his eyes; she wasn’t giving him an inch. Part of him rebelled. He didn’t deserve this treatment, not after what he had been through. 

He opened his eyes on her, and saw something in hers, in her hurt, that he wouldn’t have understood two days ago. A weight settled into the bottom of his stomach. She seemed to understand what had finally clicked in his brain.  
“I couldn’t stop feeling it, Matthew. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t block it out. You must have known that.” Her eyes were hard, but they glistened and her voice grew thick.

The least he could give her was the truth.

“It…felt good. I wanted to have sex. I wanted to…have sex with you.” His head dropped again and the next words come out quieter. “I wanted you to know what you were missing.”

Eleni stared at him. He sensed that she hadn’t expected his answers; he could feel surprise seeping through the bond. 

“Elle, I’m sorry. What I did was…hideous. I am so sorry.” Getting her to give him another chance seemed next to impossible now. He gazed at Eleni, trying to figure out how to get her back, and to understand why it was so important to him.

**ELENI**

Eleni gazed at the man who wanted her back and despaired. He hadn’t copped out and said ‘I wasn’t thinking,’ or ‘I was too far gone.’ Those lies would have made it easy for her to walk away for good.

She stood up and turned away, pacing the room.

His answers had been difficult for him, and she was inclined to believe they were true.

“Elle, please forgive me…I…”

She clenched her jaw tight. Forgiveness wasn’t an option; she didn’t have the capacity to forgive. But…she might be able to put it in the past, and move on, as she had done her whole life. 

No! She grabbed for the pain he had caused her, the feeling of betrayal, but they slipped away, mitigated by his honesty, pain and regret. She desperately sought the numbness that had settled on her the past couple of weeks, but it’s comforting embrace eluded her as well.

“Elle…I…” She could feel that he was looking at her intently, but she didn’t dare meet his eyes. 

It had been a relief, she told herself, when his telepathy had gone rogue, and then when he had had sex with Jenna, because it had been clear to her that there was no way back for them. There should be no way back. It was better that way. And yet...

He was finding a way back.

She let her head fall backward in dismay. 

Why, oh why did they try so hard? 

A pair of beseeching grey eyes her flashed through her mind, and her heart broke.

No. There was no comparison there. She and Dave had known each other since they were infants. He had been forced to come to terms with who their society made her out to be, and seen it for the irrelevant construct that it was. More, he had embraced the uncomfortable truth as he knew it to be, and her with it. Matthew could never know, or understand her, as Dave had.

But her love for Dave, still strong though it was, had not proved enough to stop her growing feelings for Matthew.

“I love you,” Matthew said, the words harsh in their sobriety. 

The words echoed hollowly in her, and for a moment she knew she could walk away as she had planned. But when they hit the bottom and sank beneath the surface, she found herself blinking rapidly and she knew she had been wrong.

She turned towards the window, refusing to look at Matthew, and focused on reality.

She thought about the denizens of the Montagne. She thought about how she should leave, in spite of and because of the way they treated her. She prepared herself to be decided.

Unbidden, her mind caught on what Jenna had done to Matthew. This woman who said she cared for him had drugged him and tried to have sex with him against his will. In the mess of emotions last night, she had felt echoes of that experience in him. Much of it had been familiar to her: the hurt, the sense of violation, the disgusting feeling of having someone be intimate with your body without your permission. 

Then, in his case, there had been the loss of control and trust. With the drug, Jenna had removed his autonomy, his ability to fend off her advances; she had hijacked his own desire. 

Eleni felt herself gritting her teeth; her revulsion at what the woman had done was fierce. 

The coordinated attack on her extrapolated that sordid situation to the general Montagne population. Her disgust and derision for the people she lived among suddenly outweighed the pragmatism that told her it was dangerous to stay. 

Why was she trying so hard for them, anyway? 

She turned around and looked at Matthew.

Distantly, she felt herself nod. 

Matthew exhaled with relief, then he reached for her as she came to meet him. She almost cried feeling his lips on hers again. She moved to the bed, and he gathered her against his chest, which was heaving with sobs. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.

**JAE**

Jae sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the seemingly harmless bottles of water. She had rushed them home yesterday, and hidden them in her closet. Now, the morning after, she sat and stared at them

Taking a deep breath, she reviewed the facts. She had been coming out of the dorms at the military academy the day before when she came across a group of senior cadets, apparently hanging out.  
“Hey, there’s Cadet Summers,” one had said, “let’s give them to her.”

Jae had felt her plans of going to the theater district slip away as they focused on her.

“Take that to Cadet Allerdyce at the dance school,” one of them had said, gesturing to the package on the table. “You know the way, right Cadet?” And they had sniggered.

Jae had no idea where or with whom the package had originated prior to that moment. She hadn’t known what it held until she opened it at the dance studio, and then she had believed them to hold nothing more than water.

While she felt she would be exonerated should there be any investigation, her anxiety lingered. Along with her guilt.

Taking the top off the red marker she had brought upstairs with her, she took the bottles one at a time, and carefully drew a red line over the labels. She didn’t know if it was a good idea to keep them, but having them in her possession gave her some level of control. Also, she recognized that her anxiety could be clouding her judgement, and it might be better to decide what to do with the bottles of drugged water later when she wasn’t as emotional.

She tried not to think about the fact that when she thought of trying to dispose of them, it made her feel like she had been a willing accomplice in drugging her brother.

“Jae. I didn’t realize you were home.” Jae jumped at Adam’s voice, and quickly moved to block his view of the bottles. 

“Yeah. I, uh, came to pick up some things. I need to get to school now.” Adam looked at her, unsmiling, and she thought he was about to ask her something. Then he nodded.

“Will you be home for dinner tonight?”

**EBONY**

“Jenna admitted to it.” Ebony gauged Travis’ reaction as she set her tray down. Eleni was nowhere in sight today, which was a pity. The scandal of what had happened between Jenna Frost and Matthew Summers yesterday surely would have gotten a rise out of the woman.

Travis gaped in surprise for a moment, but then remembered he had food in his mouth and quickly swallowed.

“Why would she do that?”

“Why did she drug him in the first place?” Ebony countered. 

“It was a play to get him back, of course,” Travis mumbled, still thinking. “If it had worked, they would have had a pleasant tumble she could use to keep Eleni away, and no one the wiser.”

“Yes, but, you are missing the point. Only an idiot would think to go ahead with such a plan. She has proven herself to be seriously lacking when it comes to brain cells.” Ebony kept track of such things, and Jenna had lowered herself several notches on the intelligence scale.

“Or desperate,” Travis said, distractedly. “She’s protecting someone. Or several someone’s.” Ebony paused in her eating.

“How do you get that?” 

“She most likely loses quite a bit in admitting to drugging Summers.” Travis cleared his throat and straightened up. “Madam P is very strict when it comes to infringements on fellow dance students, and this definitely qualifies. She will probably be expelled, and will no longer be in the ballet. Given her dedication to dancing, there must be a good reason why she admitted to what she did so quickly. There was probably a deal, and she wasn’t questioned about certain information.”

“Like, how she got the drug.” Travis nodded. 

“At the least. There probably won’t be any investigation beyond her confession. Unless Summers pushes for it.” 

That was an interesting thought. Ebony tucked it away for later, as there was something more urgent that she needed to confirm. “Travis, didn’t you say that Eleni was the understudy?”  
His eyes opened owlishly as he started to understand the implications of her question.

“She is.”


	23. Chapter 22

**CITADEL 3021.02.05**

**DAVE**

“Dave, won’t you come by the penthouse sometime? I can’t believe you are so busy you couldn’t find another night.”

“This is the night that worked for me.”

As he gave this short reply, Dave walked slowly around his father’s office, eying the framed diplomas, awards and decorative items. He kept his emotions in check; the depression had receded, but being back at the office with all the corresponding memories made Dave wary. He ran the fingers of his left hand over a thick ring on his right, and focused on the real reason he was there that night.

“I was hoping for a dinner. Sometime to really sit and talk,” Robert wheedled. Dave just shook his head.

“Maybe another time, Dad. Anyway, let’s see, school is going well. Classes are classes, and I’m passing.”

“Passing with flying colors.” Dave looked at his father, a question in his eye. “I took some time to get to know Dean Tsu. Fabulous work your first semester, Dave. Another reason to take you out to dinner.”

Dave just hummed.

“Mom is good,” he added, “at least, she was when we went to church for Christmas.” 

“Great.” His father shifted awkwardly. With Dave reaching adulthood, his parents had far fewer reasons to interact with each other, something he knew his mother welcomed. He eyed his father, surprised to sense that the man was not as welcome to the change.

“You miss her?” he asked, not really thinking. His father gave him a look of exasperation.

“Of course, I do! Everyday! Both of them!” Dave realized his father had taken his question the wrong way. The man also took it as an opening for a conversation Dave had no desire to engage in. “Dave, let’s visit the stones together. They are sealed, but I haven’t done a ceremony yet. I was hoping you would join me.” That was not going to happen.

“Maybe after classes are done. Things are pretty busy.”

“Too busy to memorialize your sister?” his father asked, pointedly, though a second after the words had left his mouth the man blanched and his face went momentarily weak.

_She wasn’t my sister, and you know it, you bastard, _Dave thought bitterly. Outwardly he glared at his father. In his life Dave had rarely been angry about the lies his father had raised him to believe, but in that moment the man held all the blame for the twisted situation Dave and Eleni had found themselves in. 

Taking a deep breath, he focused on the fact that he needed to get out of this without committing to some meaningless gesture. He was doing something far more valuable in Eleni’s memory. Something that would actually make a difference, and that was the real reason he was here tonight.

His father tried to backtrack.

“I…I haven’t put the names on yet, since I was hoping we’d go together. I was debating whether to include her middle name…it would be odd because it’s not on any register…” Dave again rubbed the wide ring on his finger.

“I don’t care,” he said quietly. In that moment he found the stone that would hold her name was meaningless to him. Dave glanced at the clock. “You said you had a meeting. I’ll get going.”

His father just looked at him, and Dave knew the man suspected he had chosen this night because his father’s time was limited. He wouldn’t be wrong in that suspicion, but he wouldn’t be quite right either.

“I do. I do have an important meeting. They could only make it tonight.” It was the day before a Rest Day, and most people were out having a good time or home with their families. The office was empty save for the Kelly men.

“Well, I’ll let you get to it. Good bye, Dad.”

“Dave, wait.” The younger man stopped but didn’t turn. His father came over and around him to embrace him. “I’m here for you,” Robert whispered fiercely into his son’s ear.

“I know. I know, Dad,” Dave said, pushing the man away. “I’ll see you…soon.” He lied.

It was a relief to leave the office for the antechamber, and then out into the hall. But Dave did not make his way to the elevators as his father no doubt expected him to do. He walked by them, making a brief stop in a men’s restroom. Then he circled back to his father’s office, bypassing the door to enter a utility closet found a short distance beyond.

There, and with the door securely closed, he kneeled down and awkwardly maneuvered his head into one of the low shelves; the space above them held equipment that kept him from accessing the wall at a more comfortable level. Dave pressed his ear against the wall, and was glad to find he had come back just in time.

“Kurt, if what you are telling me is true, it could be very dangerous. Talk in the Network about petitioning for mutant amnesty?” The voice of Robert Kelly was muffled, but the words and his disbelief were clear enough. 

“I know. But no action has been taken so far. It may just peter out.”

“Let’s hope so.” His father sighed, deeply. “How many people could actually support such a change?”

“Bobby, you know there is no way to know for sure, but you’d be hard pressed to find someone in this city who didn’t have a relative, a great-grandparent in some cases, that ‘disappeared’ or was a ‘still birth’. There might just be enough support to tip the balance.” A pause. “If there was, would you champion it?”

“I don’t know, Kurt. Politics is also balancing act; if the timing is wrong…”

“And what if the time is right? The people of the Citadel are freer than they have been since the 21st century. They are more open minded. And then there is that trend my parents talked about.”

“Kurt, that is all conjecture—”

“And that is why I am working on expanding my data set, but the pattern I mentioned before is consistent across what I can glean so far. Mutant births are increasing, and I think this has happened before--!”

“Gleaned! That is not enough. We need concrete evidence, and I am working on those relationships. It’s difficult because it is with people I am normally on the other side of the aisle from. I don’t know if they will let me have access to that data. Further, an increase in mutant births doesn’t necessarily mean the population will support change. It might just cause chaos, and the Citadel can’t afford that!”

“But, it doesn’t hurt to put the thought in people’s heads.”

“It doesn’t? A few idle thoughts is one thing, an organized movement is another. You will keep your ear to the ground?” 

“I always do, Bobby, you know that.” A frustrated sigh punctuated the end of the discussion. “Do you have those documents you said you’d put together? Since I’m here there is no point in bothering Juana this time.”

“Ah, yes, of course. Let me get them.” There was a sound of a drawer being unlocked and opened, a then shuffling of papers followed by a muffled thanks. Then a long pause. Dave idly twisted the thick ring on his finger as he waited to see if there would be more.

“Can you stay?” Dave barely heard the question, and strained. He couldn’t miss any of the conversation.

“With Katherine gone…the risk…,” 

“You’re already here, so if anyone has noticed, the damage is done…”

And then there was no more conversation, and no sound of a door closing indicating that one of the two men had left. Dave carefully maneuvered himself away from the wall as other sounds started to filter through. He had no wish to eavesdrop on what they were about to do. 

He was satisfied with what he had heard. Word of the movement was of course getting around the community of families who had lost mutant children. His father was aware of that community, and Dave had known that the man would hear about it sooner or later.

His name had not been mentioned, however, and that was the relief. There was a chance Kurt didn’t know: as Dave no longer pestered him for contacts, the man may believe that the younger man had worked through his grief. Dave thought it more likely, however that Kurt knew and had shielded his father from that information, hoping that this all would come to naught. Dave’s mouth slid into a lopsided smile that was closer to a smirk; that was a vain hope.

Finally, out of the cubby space, he slowly stood up, allowing the kinks to work themselves out before he began to quietly unlatch the door. As he left the cramped room, he reflected on the last time he had set foot in there.  
That had been the day he had learned that his father was in love with another man.

_Ten-year-old Dave Kelly stood, restless, at the side of the conference room his sister and her mother were clearing. He had helped them for a bit, but now found himself wondering whether anything more interesting was happening elsewhere on the floor. So, he left the room and wandered. _

_It was a quiet night, however. Most of the people had gone home already, since they had the following day off. Bored, Dave decided to listen in on his father’s office. As Eleni’s mom was still on the floor, his father must be in a meeting. Dave didn’t understand a lot of what he heard when he eavesdropped on these meetings, but nonetheless, found it an interesting pastime._

_ Making sure the hallway was clear, he quickly slipped into the utility closet. He opened the cabinet on the far side from the door, and with a little difficulty, he squeezed himself onto the lower shelf and pressed his ear against the wall._

_It seemed the meeting had just begun._

_“Bobby, I’ve missed you. It’s been too long,” a tenor voice spoke. Dave thought the tone was strange, but guessed it must be a close associate of his father’s._

_“I know. I can’t tell you what a relief it is to see you again. I’ve wanted you so badly.” He recognized his father’s voice. His stomach began to feel unpleasant. Something was wrong with this situation. He was frozen for a minute, not understanding the sounds coming from the room._

_“Oh…my love...” That, he did understand, and feeling sick, he fled._

_Back in the conference room, Eleni had started dancing. Her mother had disappeared, as she did, keeping up the appearance of an affair that Dave now knew was a cover for his father. Sitting with his back to the tables, he for once did not watch Eleni dance, but stared into space, horrified and nauseated by what he had heard. _

_When Eleni took a break and sat next to him, she picked up on his mood immediately._

_“What’s the matter, Dave?”_

_He shook his head._

_“Come on. You know you can tell me.”_

_He wasn’t sure about that, but found himself wanting to divulge the terrible experience he had just had, and he did trust Eleni. She was his sister, and they had grown up together. He had always been able to talk to her. _

_After swearing her to secrecy, he described what he had heard._

_She barely reacted at all, other than being silent for a minute._

_“My mom says its normal. For people to be like that. She doesn’t agree with what they think here.” Dave’s stomach fell, and he realized he had hoped she would tell him he must have been mistaken. Now he felt like he had to accept a truth he found repugnant. _

_“It’s wrong!”_

_“They are not hurting anyone.”_

_“But it hurts me! And my mother if she knew!” At that, Eleni pinned him with one of her full on looks. The one that told him she thought he was being an idiot._

_“And it didn’t when you thought it was my mom?” He struggled with that for a moment._

_“But it is wrong!” he said again, “It’s filth to…to be like that! Everyone knows that!” He wasn’t able to repeat that his father was with another man._

_Eleni’s eyes shifted to the floor and stared desolately for a minute. Then she spoke softly, her tone hollow._

_“Then so am I.” She got up and returned to her dancing. _

_Dave, shaken to his core, left the room after a minute, and was unable to talk to her again that day, or for many days after. Later, her words would echo in his mind, but in the immediate, he wanted to distance himself from it all._

_“Dad,” he asked as he walked home with his father, keeping as large a distance as he could between himself and the man. “I want to live with mom for a while.”_

_“What? Why would you do that? You know how busy she is, and it is more difficult for her to keep track of you with her schedule.” Dave shrugged it off. His mom would just get someone to watch him, or encourage him to do another afterschool activity. That’s why he had asked to live with his father full-time a couple years back: the man let him hang around his office when he was not engaged in school activities. Dave enjoyed the unstructured time, and Eleni was almost always there as well. It had been the more appealing option at the time. _

_“I want to. I’d like to spend more time with her.” He ignored his father’s asking if something was wrong, called his mother the next day, and was sleeping at her townhouse that night._

_Over the weeks that followed, his feelings about the event simmered and evolved. He first tried to forget about it entirely. He told himself he could continue to live with his mother, but his freedom took a substantial hit as his mother indeed insisted he join more activities._

_Moreover, he missed Eleni. While she was only his half-sister, she was fun and he liked talking to her. When he thought of seeing her again, however her words haunted him. ‘Then so am I.’ Did he really think she was filth, that she should never have been born, as everyone around them believed? He slowly started to confront that question._

_“I’m glad to have you with me, Dave,” his mother said over dinner one night. Her secretary, Raymond, was eating with them as well. He sometimes did that._

_The comment warmed Dave, and helped him forget his worries for a moment._

_“It’s nice to be here, too, Mom.”_

_“You know your mom is very busy,” Raymond inserted, “and school is coming to an end in a couple of months. I was thinking you could join a summer sport to fill your time once school’s out. Maybe swim team for the summer. It will be much so more fun than hanging out at the arcades…or at your father’s office.” Raymond tried to give him a conspiratorial smile. It didn’t work._

_“It wasn’t so bad,” Dave muttered._

_“The former, perhaps. The latter…,” his mother took a sip of water, then seemed to steel herself. “Does he really keep his bastard there all the time, Dave?”_

_“Sometimes she’s there,” Dave whispered, feeling like he was betraying Eleni. His mother made a noise of disgust._

_“There are districts for them so that we don’t need to be reminded of their existence. Why doesn’t he just put them up in one of those? And enrolling her in Keio!” Raymond reached over to cover the woman’s hand with his own in an effort to calm her distress._

_Dave, head down, squeezed his eyes shut. He didn’t like his mother’s tone, or the idea of Eleni being ‘put’ somewhere he couldn’t see her. Throughout his life, she had been his one constant companion. He finished his dinner as quickly as he could and excused himself. _

_Through comments like this made by his mother and others around him, he agonized, and finally came to the conclusion that he didn’t think Eleni was filth. She was no different from him, just another kid, and she was important to him. In order to see her however, he would have to see his father. He wasn’t ready to confront that issue yet, so, he continued to stay away._

_The weeks drifted by and five more had passed when his father insisted on speaking to him over the phone late one afternoon. Dave expected his father to ask him what was wrong again. He did it every time he managed to talk to Dave. However, following one question as to Dave’s wellbeing, his father changed the subject._

_“Eleni is in the hospital.”_

_“What? She’s hurt?”_

_“Her arm is broken. You should visit her. She is very sad.” Dave wanted to visit her._

_“What happened?”_

_“Ask your mother to bring you over.” His father told him the name of the hospital where Eleni was staying, then told him again to come._

_“Mom, Eleni’s hurt. We have to go to the hospital,” Dave said as soon as he hung up the phone._

_“I know. Your father mentioned it to me, though I have no idea why. We are not going.”_

_“What?! I have to go.”_

_“No, Dave, you don’t. It is not good for you to be associating with her.” He wouldn’t accept that. His sister was hurt, and he wanted to see her._

_“I know what you think, and I don’t care!” he yelled._

_“David Anthony Kelly, don’t you yell at me!” His mother came towards him._

_“I need to see her!” he screamed even louder. He dodged his mother’s reaching arms, then ran from the room and from the townhouse._

_It was still light out, and he knew his way to the hospital, even though it was in another Bloc. Ignoring the calls from his mother as the townhouse fell away behind him, he ran as fast as he could the entire ten blocks of distance. Gasping for breath, he spoke Eleni’s name at the reception. In response to the odd look he received, he said his father was upstairs and that he had just been dropped off. The receptionist insisted on calling up to confirm the presence of his father, but soon Dave was on the elevator to the floor where Eleni’s room was located._

_When he reached it, he found his father waiting for him. Robert Kelly’s face was stern. Dave had been either rude or cold to the man the past few weeks._

_“I’ve missed you, Dave.” The boy didn’t answer. His father sighed. “This way.”_

_They walked halfway around the floor. A doctor emerged from Eleni’s room just as they reached it._

_“Senator Kelly, I was looking for you. The tests all came back negative. Some of her mineral levels are high, but they can quickly be brought down. I think she’s mainly suffering from shock from the attack.” Dave froze as he recognized the tenor voice. He looked up at his father and the man he was apparently in love with. They looked like two normal people. Uncomfortable, he turned away and went into the hospital room._

_Eleni sat on her bed, staring at her right arm which was enclosed in a cast. She didn’t seem to notice him approaching._

_“Elle?” he said quietly. She looked up. There were dark circles under her eyes, she was pale and her face had a distant look to it. She didn’t speak. _

_“Elle! Are you ok?” Distressed by her appearance, the words came out more urgently. Dave pushed himself up to sit on the edge of her bed. He looked at her arm._

_“Does it hurt?” She just stared at the cast again._

_“Elle. Eleni!” She had never not spoken to him before. _

_“Go away,” it was barely a whisper._

_He gaped, and tears flooded his eyes. For the first time, he realized that his staying away all these weeks had hurt her. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry about what I said.” _

_She looked up._

_“But maybe it’s true. Maybe I’m evil,” she seemed exhausted and distant._

_“No! You’re not evil! I don’t believe that! I’m so sorry!” he said desperately. “You’re not bad! You’re fun, and ten times better than everyone I know, Elle! You’re not filth! You’re not. You’re not.”_

_Her face crumpled, and he put his arms around her as she started to cry._

_“You’re not, Elle. You’re not,” he mumbled the words, his own tears dripping down his face. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”_

_Dave’s father found them like that, embracing but no longer crying, and seemed relieved, but it was short lived. Even after the embrace, Eleni remained reticent. _

_“Elle, I thought you’d be glad to see Dave.”_

_She looked up at the man, then back down at her cast. “I’m just tired, Senator Kelly.” She never called him father._

_“OK. Dave, Katherine just stepped out to get some food. When she gets back, I’ll walk you back to your mother’s.”_

_“I’m not going back there. I’ll stay here.” He had to make Eleni see that he was telling the truth. He didn’t think she believed him yet. His father looked at him, nonplussed._

_“You can’t stay here. You’ll come home with me, then.”_

_“And we’ll come back tomorrow!” he called after his father as the man pulled out his phone and walked away._

_“We’ll see,” came the vague reply. “Angela? He’s going to stay with me tonight. I—” His father’s voice cut off, apparently interrupted by his wife. He exited the room._

_“I’m coming back tomorrow, Elle,” Dave said definitively. He was heartened when she nodded._

_He did, after school, and he brought cards. Eleni played halfheartedly, but he kept on, determined to engage her. Dave had learned what had happened to her two days ago now, the gang attack that had resulted in her broken arm, and that she was still in the hospital because of her subdued state. He was determined to raise her spirits. _

_She didn’t start acting like herself, however, until she was back home, which happened a few days later. Then they were meeting at the office again. Her mother and his father decided she would stay close until her arm had fully healed, so she spent her days on the 22nd floor doing homework so that she wouldn’t fall too far behind in school. _

_When Dave asked if this was because they were afraid the gangs would target her again, his father answered in the negative._

_“I’m making sure they never bother her again, Dave. So, don’t you worry about that, ok?” He was relieved by his father’s confidence. The man no longer asked him what was wrong, and seemed happy to write the entire event off as pre-teen drama. _

_However, while life was outwardly back to normal, Dave still struggled internally. The resumption of the relationship between himself and Eleni also meant a return to the topic that he had successfully been avoiding._

_“So, what do you think of your father?”_

_“I don’t know.”_

_“He’s the same person he was before.” Dave didn’t answer, and focused on the game of checkers they were playing._

_The weeks passed slowly. Eleni’s arm healed enough to remove the cast, but she didn’t return to school or to her dancing. She continued to occasionally bring up the subject Dave would have rather avoided._

_“If they love each other, why not?” _

_“He’s cheating on my mom! With a man!” Dave hissed in return. Again, the flat look, and Dave bit his tongue. He changed the subject to something else that had started to bother him._

_“Elle?” he began, hesitant._

_“Mmm?”_

_“If my dad is not with…your mom. Then…are you really my sister?” Eleni stared at him, trepidation in her eyes. She shook her head, unable to speak the words. Dave looked down, unsure what that meant._

_He continued to come, but things felt different. His connection to Eleni had been lost. He couldn’t accept his father as things stood. He felt unmoored. _

_They stopped talking about those subjects. They stopped talking about most everything._

_“Dave, you can stop coming,” Eleni finally said a week or so later. “It’s clear you don’t want to, now that you know.” He looked up from their game of checkers, and stared at her. _

_He stopped coming. _

_“Hey, Dave. Coming to the movies tonight? We’re going to see the latest action flick,” Zach Kaldwell grimaced. “My sister will be there, too.” There was always some sort of adult there._

_“Uh, sure!” Dave smiled at the dark-haired boy, and got a grin in return. Dave found a phone to call his dad and let him know where he’d be. After Eleni’s stint in the hospital, he hadn’t been able to stomach the thought of living with his mother any longer, so he had continued staying at the penthouse. He remained distant towards his father, however, and these last two weeks he had spent away from the office had helped in that effort._

_Nonetheless, as he tagged along with the group going to the theater, he found himself looking down the broad avenue that led to his father’s office building, the place where Eleni spent nearly all of her waking hours outside of school._

_He glanced over at Zach who was walking next to him._

_“Did you hear what Mr. Abara did to Tiat?” Zach nodded, and grimaced._

_“Nasty bastard.” Dave agreed._

_“I mean, Tiat’s just nervous. Sure, it’s not cool, but embarrassing him like that…?” His companion looked at him a bit dubiously._

_“I don’t know. Tiat’s an idiot. He brings it on himself.” _

_Dave looked away, discontent with how the conversation was going, and knowing it was unwise to push further. _

_So it was with his friends; there was always a subtle sense of competition, and he was starting to understand that most of them felt that was justified. Cruelty was a tool used to determine whether another was a fit friend or foe; those who didn’t keep up were left behind and subject to abuse when their existence was recalled. You always had to watch what you said and did if you wanted to avoid that fate._

_In this way, he missed Eleni. He could talk to her about anything; she was openminded in a way that differed starkly from his friends. And while she let him know her opinion, she didn’t immediately judge him if he thought differently. They could sound things off each other safely. He was starting to understand that that was important to him._

_He finally asked himself what had really changed. Some lies in his life were now exposed, as were the corresponding truths, but was anything different? He came to the conclusion that nothing really had changed. Nothing except for him._

_He went back to his father’s office building the next week. Eleni was sitting alone, her head pillowed in her arms, in the conference room on the far side from the one in which she danced. It was evening and he wondered why she still wasn’t dancing. _

_“Elle,” he said tentatively, remembering what had happened at the hospital. “I know I hurt your feelings again. I’m sorry. I had to think it all through.” She stayed as she was. He went over and sat next to her so she could see him. He was afraid she would turn her head the other way, but she didn’t._

_“I don’t understand it. It made everything feel different, what I found out about my dad. About you. But I missed spending time with my dad. And I missed spending time with you. And that made me realize that who you, and he, are, that’s the same as always.” He looked at her, and she stared into nothing. But she was listening. “You’re not my sister, but you’re still my best friend. At least, I hope so.”_

_Her eyes shifted and focused on him. She sniffed slightly, then blinked, then nodded. He breathed out in relief, then laid his head down on his arms beside her. They sat, silent, and looked at each other._

Dave walked past the room where they had sat that day and stopped. He refused to look in at first, but then turned in as if someone else were directing him. Walking slowly around the table, he sat in the same place that he had all those years ago, alone now. He pillowed his head on his arms, and turned his face to the place where Eleni had sat. He stared at nothing 

He tucked his thumb up through the fist of his right hand, so that it lay over the ring he wore there. Squeezing his eyes shut, the tears started to fall. 

“Elle, I miss you so much.” 


	24. Chapter 23

**MATTHEW**

Matthew took a deep breath as he approached the dance studio. For the first time ever, he didn’t want to go in. But he had to. He took strength from the fact that Eleni waited inside.

Yesterday, after being released from the hospital, they had danced privately under Madam P’s compassionate eye. Matthew suspected the teacher had done that on purpose and he had been surprised by his relief when she let him know the agenda. At the end of the day, however, she had also been clear that the next day, today, he would need to be dancing with the rest of the cast.

That thought was what made him grit his teeth and steel himself as he entered.

No one greeted him. They turned away as he came near, or glared at him as if he had killed a member of their family. Silence descended over a cluster of dancers as he approached.

Anders, another of the male leads, split off as if by coincidence as Matthew passed by.

“Hey, man, you know it was just for fun, right? It’s not like you didn’t want it, anyway.” Matthew said nothing, and bore the man’s presence as they both went to the changing room. There, Matthew grabbed his practice gear and left to go change in the privacy of the bathroom.

He didn’t know why Jenna had come out with the declaration about drugging him, but their peers seemed to hold him personally responsible for her admission. It hadn’t put her out of academic school, and other than the loss of her participation at the Pietrovich School of Dance, her social life was unchanged. Yet he felt his peers’ disapproval keenly. 

“Ah, Matthew, there you are. Come on, let’s get started.” The instructor, Master Trenaw, had noticed him immediately as he entered the large dance studio. Matthew scanned the room and was relieved to see Eleni break off from the group of swan dancers who were clustered around Madam P. Matthew realized that meant they wouldn’t be working together today, and suppressed a spike of anxiety and disappointment.

“Hi there,” she said. Seeing her smile took the edge off the coldness inside him.

“Hi there,” Matthew murmured in reply as he bent to kiss his girlfriend, and for a moment everything was ok.

They positioned themselves between the two groups so that they could hear both sets of instructions. He kept his arm around Eleni as they stood and listened.

“And you, Matthew, will be working with the princesses. 30 minutes with each, and all of you be back in here in an hour and a half to do a dry run of the scene.” Matthew went cold again.

Eleni must have sensed his reaction through the bond, because concern echoed back from her. She turned in his arms.

“Ask to practice in here, or on the stage,” she said softly. He just looked down at her, understanding the wisdom of what she said, but reluctant to do anything that might make a scene.

Looking up into his eyes, she seemed to understand. She squeezed his arms.

“Let me see what I can do.” She moved away from him to speak to Madam P. The instructor nodded briskly to Eleni’s words, and made her way over to her colleague.

Fifteen minutes later Matthew was dancing with one of the princesses in the large tri-sected studio where the swans were also rehearsing. It was bearable, and Matthew found he was able to get through the afternoon.

That night, he stayed for dinner. Madam P inquired after his well-being, but otherwise was quieter than usual. Adam hadn’t stayed; he and Matthew had barely spoken since the hospital, save for Adam asking if Matthew wanted to pursue an investigation. Matthew had responded that he just wanted to put it all behind him.

After dinner, when he and Eleni were ensconced on the couch, he finally felt he could relax and breath for the first time that day.

“How did it go?” she asked quietly. He noticed she didn’t ask how he was doing, as Madam P and Adam did. He found it a relief.

“OK. I was only told I wanted it 5 times. Could have been worse.” He tried to laugh humorously, but it came out morose. Eleni caught his face in her hands and brought to hers so their foreheads rested together. For a long moment they were silent.

“You are the only one who knows who you are and what you want, and sometimes you won’t even know that. And that is ok.”

Matthew took the words in passively. They didn’t do anything for him in the moment. Her next words did make an impression.

“Anyway, eff them.” A flare of anger from deep inside her echoed within him. He knew distantly that she was getting pranked again, though she didn’t speak of it and he found he didn’t have the bandwidth to ask. She had been tripped yesterday at the dance school, there was little doubt as to whether it had been an accident. 

Not wanting to talk about it any of it anymore, he moved his face forward and kissed her.

A few minutes later they were just sitting and holding each other; Eleni’s head rested on his shoulder. They didn’t talk much. They didn’t do much of anything. Matthew found he was fine with that. He focused instead on the fact that Eleni was there and with him. Mentally, he found himself willing her to stay. In his anxiety and his desire to not think of anything else, he spent the rest of the time trying to figure out why he was doing that.

The days slowly became easier. At his university classes, the whispered taunts dropped off and people settled on ignoring him. He found he could tolerate that, too: all he needed was the degree. He didn’t need to make friends.  
At the dance school, he focused on the performance, and making up the time he had lost over the past few weeks. The teachers appreciated his renewed commitment, though all but Madam P were grudging in showing it. Often a compliment about his performance was given hand in hand with a criticism. The latter was usually not in any way related to ballet.

The third day back, Adam stayed at Madam P’s for dinner. Matthew found himself hoping that the man was relaxing a bit, but it turned out his intentions were quite different.

“Natalya, what are they going to do? Madelyn and I don’t like being kept in the dark about this. The other school masters are dropping all sorts of nasty hints with their students, and that is all the information we are getting.” Matthew looked away at Adam’s tense comment, wishing for a non-controversial topic. Then Eleni responded before Madam P could.

“This is about me, isn’t it?” Matthew’s spirits fell even further. There were rumors that the other schools were going to boycott the ballet due to Eleni dancing the lead role. In spite of the fact that the other teachers had voluntarily selected her as the understudy.

Madam P sighed.

“Yes. They didn’t think this scenario was possible. Or thought that if it did happen, it would be easy to push you aside. Trenaw and Cotting have each been training their best ballerina on the part of Odette and Odile.”  
“The bastards,” Matthew hissed. Madam P looked at him, nodding, then smirked, though it was a weak thing.

“They have been fighting with each other about which ballerina will take the role. That bought me some time.” She shifted her gaze to Adam. “That is why I hadn’t spoken with you and Madelyn. I wasn’t sure I had any ground upon which to stand. But this joint performance has been a tradition for over a century, and when it was established there was a set of rules drawn up as well.” Madam P reached over to take Eleni’s hand, and held it firmly. “Legally, there is no way they can oust you.”

Eleni nodded, and Matthew was surprised to feel a sharp flare of hope mixed with fear that it was almost painful, and registered just how badly she wanted the role. Staring at his girlfriend, he heard Madam P’s words only distantly.

“But, ‘legal’ can be open to more interpretation than we care to admit. I don’t wish to go down that route, and neither in truth do my colleagues. I have offered them a compromise to sweeten the deal, and allow them to focus on what I believe matters in the short term. They will no doubt see it as something to suffer through, but what I have offered makes the long term far more attractive for them. They are political beings, as am I. I think they will take it.”

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “Natalya, what have you done? Why didn’t you talk to Maddie and I?”

“It was my decision to make.” She met and held Adam’s eyes for a tense moment, then deliberately bent back to her dinner. The man’s attempts to pursue the topic further failed, and silence descended over the table. 

Matthew found himself glancing at Eleni throughout the remainder of the quiet meal. Feelings lapped out from her, exacerbated, he thought, by the conversation they had had. And yet, the feelings of revulsion that had emerged at Madam P’s actions, though still obscure, seemed a bit extreme for the situation.

When they finished cleaning up Eleni made to leave the kitchen.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” Matthew said as he wiped down the table. Adam and Madam P were standing by the sink drying dishes in a pregnant silence. When Matthew left the kitchen, he stepped to the right so that he was concealed from their view, and waited a minute, hoping to learn more.

“Adam,” Madam P’s voice was unusually strained. “Please don’t come for a while. The dance school is fine, but not here.”

“Wha--? Do I need to ask why?” The man’s shock had dropped off immediately, and his question was spoken in bitter resignation.

“It’s bringing back memories. I forgave you, and I do not withdraw that, but I…I find I need some space to mourn her again. It’s not just what Jenna did. It’s this entire situation.” There was silence for a long moment.  
“You forgave me for what I did…but you still hold me responsible for her loss.”

“Adam, I didn’t sa--!”

“Natalya, it’s fine! It’s nothing I don’t do to myself.” With that the man exited through the door off of the kitchen back towards the dance school. 

Matthew slowly moved towards the living room, taking in this exchange though it didn’t entirely make sense to him.

Eleni was sitting on the couch waiting.

“Did something happen?” she said, her brow wrinkling in concern. He started to shake his head, but then stopped the lie.

“Yes, but, it doesn’t related to us.” 

“Can you tell me about it?” He shook his head in the negative. He couldn’t see how that would do any good. They were quiet for a moment.

“Did you find out what Madam P offered the other teachers?” she asked as he sat and she moved close to him.

“No.” He shrugged. “We’ll find out eventually.” He wasn’t in a mood to parse out political maneuverings. He pulled Eleni close, tucking her head under his chin and changed the topic. “The ballet. It’s really important to you.”  
She pushed back so she could look into his face. Her expression was slightly incredulous.

“You’re just realizing that now?” He laughed sheepishly.

“No, I knew, it’s just…” he found it difficult to put words to what he had felt from her in the kitchen. He finally settled on desperation, though it made him uncomfortable. He identified that what struck him was the depth of that feeling within Eleni. For her desperation to run so deep…it was like she thought she’d never have another chance. “You know you deserve it,” he murmured, trying to narrow in on her feelings verbally.

“I know.” Her confidence was high. That wasn’t part of her need.

“You are…clinging to it…?” he felt like he was stabbing in the dark with his words. He needed to confirm what he was struggling to understand about her emotional state, and he needed her participation.

Eleni was silent for a moment.

“It’s my dream. To perform in a real ballet. To do it at least once.” Echoes of despondency, at odds with this statement, triggered anxiety in Matthew.

“You will! Many times. Elle, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone as talented as you.” She pushed her head back into the join between his shoulder and his neck as he said this. He pulled her close.

“I…that would be nice,” she said quietly. There was disbelief behind the statement, and Matthew was suddenly overwhelmed by the feeling that Eleni’s presence in his arms was transient. His anxiety flared, and he spoke fiercely, forcing the feeling away.

“This performance…this performance will be yours! And many more!” His girlfriend’s head shifted against him in what he thought was a nod, but otherwise she remained quiet. He thought she might comment on his emotional state, but she didn’t.

“Ours, you mean,” she said when she finally spoke. Her arms went around him. 

“Ours,” he echoed, finding comfort in the deceptive thought that one else on the stage mattered, and so long as they were dancing together. They fell silent.

Whatever negotiations Madam P was having with the other dance teachers, nothing came out about it over the next few days. Holday came and went and things started to fall into a routine for Matthew as he eased himself into living a life of ostracization.

“Hey Mattie, how are you doing?” As he turned to G who had come up the next Tuesday, Matthew hid the fact that that question, which now seemed rife with tentacles of concern, was getting seriously annoying.  
“Good. Where’s Bright?” G was alone. The large man nodded.

“Their grandmother’s sick again. It doesn’t look good. She never really got better after the last one.” G paused. “She is all Bright has.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that. Um…,” he wasn’t sure how to phrase the awkward question, but wanted to understand the situation, “they’re a Proxy Birth, right?”

“Yes, but it’s not what you are thinking. Their mother was involved. However, she also planned to use the program to keep them funded.” G sighed. “The second baby changed in the womb. Neither one survived.” Matthew winced in sympathy and pain.

Sometimes a fetus’ mutant powers manifested during pregnancy. In the case of an odd skin color or a passive ability this was no issue. However, sometimes the change made the pregnancy unviable. Most of those babies were lost, and often, the mothers were, too. The Council of Barons were constantly testing new initiatives to reduce the pre-term death rate, as it was known, but reading between the lines of the news stories, it only seemed to be getting worse.

“I didn’t realize…what’ll they do if…?”

“They’re going to move into the dorms.”

“I can get them a job at the vineyard,” he offered, though he felt vaguely uncomfortable about it.

“They have the Towers,” G dismissed his suggestion. “And, hopefully the military will forget about them, and they can live a quiet life, pleasantly deprived of being poked and prodded and electrocuted.” Matthew smiled weakly at G’s joke.

“At some point they’ll give up. Whatever you can do, it must be extremely passive.”

“You’re telling me! Like a super human ability to store fat.” They laughed together. 

“Hey, G, why don’t you stay for dinner tonight?” As he asked it, Matthew wondered why he hadn’t asked before. 

“I’ve got an invitation to join the Rushman’s back Down.” G regularly shared meals with families in the Sewers. 

“Well, next time plan to eat here,” Matthew said.

“I will check my schedule,” G replied, his attitude aloof, as Matthew turned to go change.

Eleni arrived a little while later, and she sought him out for a kiss before running off to rehearsal.

“Hi there,” she whispered. “I missed you.” 

“Missed you, too,” he murmured back, her face cupped in his hands. She smiled, a smile that told him she was genuinely happy to be there with him.

“We’re staying late tonight, right?” He nodded, the excitement that shone in her eyes reflected inside of him. Madam P had moved most of their solo practice to the evenings. She claimed it was because they needed intensive sessions to catch up. It was a believable excuse. Nonetheless, he suspected that it was more to give them privacy, which he appreciated, even if it cut into the limited down time he had with Eleni.

Their mutual excitement was dampened by some news Madam P shared at the dinner table.

“Alicia has left.” Matthew’s former friend had been moved up to the role of a princess, after another dancer had left. It wouldn’t be hard to replace her, though it would mean time wasted so far, and extra time required to teach the new dancer. The real issue was that she was the 4th senior dancer to leave the production.

Matthew heard Eleni sigh next to him. He knew she felt responsible; they were leaving in protest to her being cast as Odette. Even though she had been chosen as the understudy from the beginning. He spoke purposefully.  
“Well, she’s opened up an opportunity for a junior dancer to shine.” 

“Precisely,” Madam P said with a firm nod, “and I know exactly the person who will replace her. Tuli from Trenaw’s school is quite talented. They are young, but I am glad to have this opportunity to let them take center stage.” The non-binary had stood out, and was likely to have starring roles in the future.

In spite of Madam P’s assertion, and following attempts to turn their conversation positive, the rest of the dinner, and the rehearsal that followed, were subdued.

The next day, Matthew met Eleni outside of the Pryde school, and walked to the dance studio together. He had managed to adjust most of his university courses to the morning and early afternoon, putting off a couple classes for a later semester. Even with that, he was only free early enough to walk with Eleni two days of the week.

Hands firmly clasped, they made their way, talking about their respective days.

“Frasier likes to remind me that I am going to fail every chance he gets. Never says it outright, of course, but it’s things like, ‘When you graduate from here…well, most of you…’” Eleni grimaced, but it was not without humor. Bitter humor.

“There’s got to be a way around that. Some test you can take or something. Let’s look into it.”

Eleni made some non-committal noise, and Matthew let the matter drop in favor of another one.

“And…how are the pranks?”

“Same as the past couple of days.” She peered up at Matthew. “Did you and Adam…?”

“No.” Matthew replied. Eleni had asked them not to withhold any more wine from their customers. The pranks were not as prolific as before. Matthew suspected they were testing their limits. Matthew was now grateful to Travis, as Eleni had mentioned that the young man walked with her in the halls when he could, holding the pranks at bay for at least that period of time. Eleni’s top priority was avoiding injury. Matthew understood that now. 

“We should brainstorm whether there is anything else we can do,” he added. Eleni made another vague noise, and they lapsed into silence. Watching her out of the corner of his eye, he didn’t press further. The topic had dampened her attitude, and emotional echoes that made Matthew anxious curled around her mental state. 

The distancing that G had mentioned and Matthew had sensed during their break-up seemed to have receded. However, there were moments, usually when they were apart, where Eleni would suddenly feel…suspended. Almost not-there, and the feeling would linger. Whenever Matthew felt that, it made his throat close up with worry. His anxiety would flare, and he felt strongly that bringing it up would only make things worse. He couldn’t shake the feeling that their relationship was like a delicate piece of crystal cupped in his hands. The slightest slip and it would be lost beyond repair. 

He found himself once again mentally coaxing her to stay, to relax, to simply enjoy being with him.

“You’re an idiot to be with that whore, Summers,” a crude voice called out, shattering his illusory efforts. 

Matthew’s head snapped around to see a couple on a bench just outside of a small park dotted with potted plants. The woman who had spoken sat with her arm firmly around her girlfriend. They both looked at Eleni and Matthew with disgust.

Eleni looked forward again as if she had simply been taking in something odd, though Matthew felt the flicker of a reaction through the bond. They walked on.

“Why do they have on such atrocious necklaces?” she asked a minute later. Matthew sensed the question was a substitute for something else, but distractedly answered it at face value.

“One of them is collared.”

“What? That’s a collar?” The thick chokers had been finished in gold and a large jewel had sparkled at the front. 

“Yeah. One of them must have an ability that either prevents her from living a normal life, like being on fire all the time, or one that threatens her existence.” Or the existence of the Montagne. “Without the collar, they wouldn’t be able to be together.” 

Eleni glanced at him sideways, and, uncomfortable, he felt the need to extrapolate. 

“When there’s a choice whether you wear a collar or not, it’s an extremely personal decision. You are suppressing a natural, and extraordinary part of yourself. One of the women was showing solidarity for her partner in wearing a piece that matched, though it probably wasn’t a real collar.” 

It was a frequent plot line for soap operas for one partner to ask the other to collar themselves for some contrived reason. In reality, it was a subject people avoided, as pity was the dominant emotion involved. Recalling how it had felt for Eleni to ask him to wear one, he knew he would never find those plot lines appealing again.

She glanced at him a couple more times as they walked, but let the issue drop. He hoped it wouldn’t come up again. He had hobbled his ability for her, and didn’t regret that, but the thought of blocking off his telepathy all together continued to be repulsive.

When they reached the dance school, Cordelia greeted them at the entrance. They tried to ignore her as they entered, but it appeared she had been waiting because she addressed Matthew directly, a rare thing now.

“I thought she was like a grandmother to you. You are absolutely shameless, Summers.”

When Matthew’s mind connected that Cordelia was referring to Madam P, he stopped, ignoring Eleni’s tug on his arm.

“What are you talking about?”

“Oh, you are going to act like you don’t know? When you, or your bitch there, clearly put her up to it. Dancing is her life! I have issues with her taking in strays, but I will always admit that she is the master of dance in the Montagne. It is a travesty what you have driven her to do.”

“Tell me, Cordelia,” he said between clenched teeth.

“She won’t, Matthew,” Eleni said quietly, clearly wanting to leave the woman behind. “It gives her more pleasure this way.” 

An irritated look crossed Cordelia’s face, and Matthew wondered if Eleni had made the comment on purpose.

“She’s retiring after this performance. And not just from the annual show,” Cordelia snapped, “from all of it. Madam P has promised to stop teaching dance after this spring. Madelyn Frost will be taking over starting next year.”

Matthew felt like his body had turned to ice. Madam P was old, but not so old that she was on the verge of retirement. He knew from conversations that she had expected to teach for many more years to come allowing time for Madelyn to establish herself further in the dance community. As things stood, many of their students would leave for other schools after Madam Pietrovich’s departure. 

Guilt tore through him, and he knew it wasn’t all his. Eleni’s face was turned away when he glanced at her, but some how he knew that for once her perfect mask would be broken. She was horrified by what Madam P had bartered away so that they could dance. 

Matthew inadvertently shook his head as he corrected that thought: so she could dance. He didn’t make that correction so that he could shift the blame. He made it to help himself understand the feeling of self-loathing that undercut Eleni’s guilt through the bond.

Cordelia grinned viciously as she pushed open the door and entered the building ahead of them.

**CITADEL 2031.02.13**

**DAVE**

Dave leaned back and rubbed his eyes. Sanida, sitting across from him in the private study room, smirked.

“I warned you. Professor Geranda is the worst.” Dave groaned his agreement.

“How long did it take you to get through this?” 

“When I saw how bad it was, I broke it up into 5 segments. I’ve completed three so far.”

Dave looked with distaste at the dense text displayed on his device, which taunted him with the additional information that he had only read 5% of it. Breaking it into smaller chunks did make sense. Part of him wanted to just push through and be done with it, however, even if it meant most of the words went straight through his brain without registering. At least he could honestly say he had read it.

Sanida’s phone lit up with a text.

“Natal’s study group was cancelled. He’s suggesting we meet now? We could finally talk about the meet and greet.” Sanida raised her eyebrows at Dave. This was serendipitous as Dave had cancelled their meeting scheduled for a bit over a week ago; that day a package had been delivered to his dorm, and he had wanted to have it in his possession as soon as possible. He hadn’t told Sanida and Natal that story, however.

“My savior,” he replied in a fervent voice as he turned his tablet to off. Sanida shook her head, but was smiling as she bent to her phone. 

Twenty minutes later, Natal entered the room.

“Kelly, you should come to this study group sometime,” he said after a casual greeting. “With the orchard and all, it would be good for you. Johna Balac is in the group and she is curious about the technology your family uses.” 

Dave nodded, recognizing the prestigious name that Natal had just dropped. The Balac’s grew grapes, also in a segment separate from the Citadel like his family’s orchard. Most of the produce was dried to raisins for a nutrition source that stored well. A very small amount of the crop, however, was a variety dedicated to making wines. Dave’s mother’s orchard was also permitted to designate a small portion of their crop to alcoholic beverages, and they made limited cider and brandy, though none of those products were as in demand as those under the Balac label.

“Sure. That’d be great,” Dave replied, noting the man’s overture of friendship. 

“Natal, I have just a couple more pages to read to finish this case. Mind if I do that and then we can start?” Sanida asked. Her fake-boyfriend shrugged, and Sanida bent back to her reading.

Dave pondered the couple as he pulled his note book out of his bag. He hadn’t asked Sanida about the arrangement, which seemed to offer very little for her emotionally. He supposed the friendship between the two of them, which was close and comfortable, was perhaps enough.

“Nice ring,” Natal commented, pulling Dave from his thoughts. Realizing what the man was referring to, he self-consciously covered the silver circle on his right hand. Catching himself, he instead made as if he was just rubbing it due to Natal’s comment.

“Thanks.”

“Is that platinum?” Natal inquired, peering at the ring, and Dave cursed the man’s sharp eye.

“No,” he lied, “it’s some blend. I don’t remember what. It’s plated.” Natal nodded, looking thoughtful.

Dave twisted the ring on his finger, then consciously left it alone so as not draw further attention to it. He didn’t want the man asking any more questions as to where he’d gotten it or why. The former would reveal that the piece was in fact quite precious. As for the latter, his stomach went soft at the thought of lying again because he couldn’t say that he had gotten it in memory of his bastard half-sister. Eleni’s birthday had been a difficult time for him, and even now the darkness that had consumed him then still occasionally threatened.

“That’s well done.” Natal continued to gaze at the piece, to Dave’s dismay. The ring was a wide band, silver in color, with a chain motif was etched lightly into it. It could be taken as a fashion piece, though it could also have been a slightly unorthodox wedding ring. “Could I see it?” Natal held his hand out to Dave as he cast a sardonic half smile at Sanida. “I’ll have to get something like it at some point.” Dave’s stomach plummeted, and in that moment, Natal’s humorous gesture at furthering their friendship fell off a cliff.

“It’s sentimental. I don’t like to take it off,” Dave said in clipped tones as he forced himself to find a believable lie.

“I’ll be sitting right here,” Natal said, clearly put-off.

“I…it’s a family ring, on my mother’s side. She only let me wear it on pain of death if I lost it,” he managed, but held his hand out so the man could take a look closer look. Natal stared at Dave for a moment, clearly peeved, but then bent to look at the piece.

“Your mom’s family, really? Stark Industries did jewelry?”

“They have all sorts of weird crap,” Dave joked, as Natal leaned back. That much was true, though they were still unable to reproduce most of it. Or make it work.

“Is it really a family piece?” Dave’s eyes met Sanida’s at her question and her look softened; some sympathy entered her face as she added, “I told Natal everything. He understands.”

Dave had to think fast to place Sanida’s reference. Fortunately, Natal interjected a comment that put the pieces together for him.

“I have to say, the idea of you marrying Corella Crawford, but in reality having something on the side, is quite satisfying.” The derogatory nature of the comment was beaten only by the bitter satisfaction the man clearly felt at a Humanist being played for a fool. 

Sitting back in his chair, Dave looked away from his friends, unable to meet their eyes at that moment. He hoped they would just write his behavior off as sentimentality over his forbidden love.

The truth was he felt nauseous; the lying, Natal’s referring to ‘something’ and not ‘someone’, added to the fact that Dave was sympathetic towards his conservative ex-girlfriend and felt ashamed of how he had used her, and how he would have abused her trust had Eleni given him the opportunity, it all brought him low again.

Desperate to pull himself out of the mood, he focused on the fact that that hideous scenario had never occurred because he had broken up with Corella, but then a memory of the events that had led up to that serendipity threatened to bring him even lower.

_Dave approached his father’s office with trepidation. The man had asked him to come by this day. He had barely seen his father since moving in with his mother in the early spring. It was now the start of autumn._

_Dave was wary of another fight, and of his father trying, again, to convince him to leave Corella. The irony was, this time Dave was on the same page if that was what his father wanted to discuss. On one level, the invitation had been a relief. He thought the man might be able to help him out of his now 9-month-old relationship._

_He found Juana, one of his father’s staff, sitting at the desk in the antechamber, which was unusual. Before he could ask where its usual inhabitant was, she waved him in._

_“He’s been waiting for you.” _

_His father’s greeting was curt, and his next comment gave evidence of his continued animosity towards his son._

_“How was church?” Dave bristled, and repressed the memory of that day._

_“Interesting.” He nodded as if he meant it. _

_“Interesting,” his father sneered, “are you a believer now?” Dave hesitated, then shook his head. His father just looked at him, then, to Dave’s surprise, the man changed the subject._

_“I called you here because I need help. It is in regards to your sister.” Robert Kelly turned a dubious gaze on Dave. “Unless, of course, you no longer have any interest in her well-being. If that is the case, leave now.” Dave’s stomach had gone soft, and in that his anger at his father’s comment failed to materialize._

_“Has something happened to Eleni?” _

_“Not yet.” His father pondered Dave for another long moment, then continued as he picked up a tablet from his desk. “One of your classmates, an upperclassman named Zach Kaldwell, seems to have taken an interest in her.” _

_Dave held back the bitter comment that he already knew that. They were a couple weeks into the school year and he had seen Zach, a popular basketball player with whom Dave associated on a regular basis, walking with Eleni on the street after school. The tall man, brown-skinned man had been smiling down at her companionably; Eleni had been her usual subdued self, but she hadn’t sent the man away. Dave had found the situation disgusting._

_“I saw them. It looked like she was having a good time.” He was proud that he managed to keep his voice light._

_His father froze on his way to where his son was sitting, the tablet forgotten in his hands. The man’s face went deceptively calm, but the insidious twist of sarcasm in his next words belied his outward composure._

_“What? Do you think he wants to date her? Maybe he is interested in marriage? Having a couple of kids and giving her the good life?” As soon as his father spoke these words, Dave’s jealously evaporated as the ugly, misplaced emotion it had always been. Self-recrimination and dismay quickly filled the void. He shook his head wordlessly, unable to speak for his throat was closing._

_“You know there is only one thing he can want from her! You know the expectations our society puts on her! And you know that I have committed myself to providing her more than that!” Dave did know. Somehow it all hadn’t seemed real until this moment, but he had always known the prevailing logic as it stood within the Citadel: what better for the daughter of a whore to be but a whore herself?_

_Horror filled him. _

_“Maybe your wrong…,” he whispered._

_His father rolled his eyes in disgust._

_“OK, I’ll share some other ugly little facts with you. I’ve been getting offers from people who would ‘take her off my hands,’ or ‘make my ugly little problem disappear’ since she was 5,” he spat the number with vehemence and disgust. “The offers picked up when she reached her teenaged years, particularly when the media decided to remember she existed.” The horror he had been trying to push away overwhelmed, and Dave sank his head into his hands._

_Robert Kelly, understanding that his son was finally seeing reality for what it was, let go of his anger at the young man. His tone turned despairing. _

_“She’s beautiful, Dave. Just like her mother. It makes her even more of a target. And our society stacks the deck against your sister. Against all women, really. Your mother showed me the truth of that.” The last comment was tired and defeated. Dave looked up to see his father gazing at nothing, his expression unfathomable._

_“There was a time I didn’t see it but I had hoped to raise you more knowing than I was. If I failed, then that is my fault, but count this as your awakening.” The man rubbed his eyes in exhaustion and focused on the immediate again. “I was able to put off those despicable offers from people, many of whom didn’t even think that what they were asking was immoral. I kept Eleni close and I knew they couldn’t get to her. But this is different. I need your help.” He pushed the tablet into Dave’s hands. “This is the only way I knew anything was going on.” _

_It was cued to an opinion page from one of the three main newspapers in the city with a guest column titled “Keeping our Schools Clean.” The article featured a picture of Zach walking next to Eleni, almost exactly as Dave had seen them. The bit of text below it stated “The presence of Robert Kelly’s illegitimate daughter is a disgrace and a dangerous distraction to the students of Keio Girls Academy and Baybrook Boys Prep.” Dave looked away and clenched his teeth._

_“Elle is being stubborn, for what reason I cannot fathom. She didn’t tell us this was happening, and getting any facts out of her has been like pulling teeth. She admitted that he hadn’t done anything inappropriate so far, but he insists on walking with her when she says she wants to be alone, and he keeps trying to get her to accept gifts from him. She hasn’t. I worry that he will lose his patience with her ‘playing coy’.”_

_Dave stood up. _

_“I have to go.” His father rounded on him in disbelief._

_“Oh, so you have joined them!”_

_“NO! I want to go find Eleni. To talk to her. Maybe I can get more information out of her!” He wanted to be there for her. His father’s anger cooled._

_“She’s not here.”_

_“What? Where is she?” His father waved distractedly._

_“At the hospital. She was feeling dizzy earlier this week, and nearly passed out while she was dancing. Seems the mineral levels in the water at her apartment building are high, and she is uncommonly sensitive to them.”_

_“What? And you didn’t tell me that she was in the hospital?”_

_“With the way you have been acting Dave, I wasn’t sure you’d care. Anyway, I doubt she wants to see you. Do you realize how much it hurt her that you, her brother and only friend, suddenly preferred the company of people who condemn her existence with their every breath?!”_

_“She knows that’s not me! I care about her!”_

_“Then why did you cut off all communication with her?!”_

_“We had a fight. She stopped talking to me first!”_

_His father threw up his hands in disgusted exasperation. “So, you dated a Humanist to get back at her or something?” _

_“No! I dated Corella to fix my reputation! It was all for show!” _

_Silence. His father stared at him, as the improbable words sunk in. Dave wished the man would say something. His own mind was recalling the reasons he had started dating Corella, to assure himself that his father’s comment didn’t hit as close to the mark as his stomach told him it did. He spoke to stop the feeling._

_“I was hoping you could give me some advice on how to get out of the relationship.”_

_That broke his father’s shock-inspired paralysis. The man actually laughed._

_“To fix your reputation? Oh my God, Dave. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.” _

_Dave clenched his teeth, but desperate, pressed on._

_“Can you help me? Every time I bring up splitting up to Corella, she just holds on tighter. Aside from some of her beliefs, she is a decent person. How do I do this without making another mess?”_

_His father was shaking his head back and forth, occasionally laughing, a despairing sound now._

_“No, Dave. You are not someone who needs help. You made your mess, you clean it up. I don’t want to talk to you about that anymore.” He stabbed his finger at the tablet. “I need you to learn what you can about Kaldwell. If you can pick up anything about his intentions, it will help me keep Eleni safe.”_

_“Why can’t you just stop him?”_

_“Can I? He hasn’t broken any laws. And if he does what I fear he intends to, is there any real recourse for Eleni? Would anyone be sympathetic other than us?” Dave shook his head, wanting to deny his father’s words, but knowing he couldn’t. _

_“But after the gangs targeted her, you were able to get them to stop.” Robert paused, and again stared into nothing._

_“And I paid a high price for that. I was a new senator and used political capital recklessly. It made me lose support that I had worked hard to gain and could have used later on to push through bills that would have benefited thousands across our population.” He looked at his son. “I don’t regret it, but I have learned from it. It is a last resort.” He paused. “Anyway, I am not sure I have enough capital to keep Eleni safe at this point. A child being attacked is one thing. A woman whom everyone expects to become someone’s mistress or worse, being pursued by a wealthy man…many would see that as a good situation for her.”_

_Dave felt numb._

_“I’ll see what I can learn,” he mumbled, and started to stand. Then he remembered where Eleni was._

_“Wait, what about Eleni being sick? Is she going to be ok?”_

_“Yes, now that we have found the cause. We’ve installed water filters in their apartment. She should be back at school in a few days.” His eyes fixed on Dave. “Which makes it all the more important that you learn anything you can.”_

_“What hospital is she at?” Now his father’s eyebrows raised in exaggerated shock._

_“You actually want to visit?”_

_“Of course, I do!"_

_“I’m not sure she wants to see you,” his father muttered, echoing his earlier sentiment, but he bent down and scribbled an address and room number on a pad of paper. Dave took it and started for the door._

_“Dave,” his father’s tone was no longer accusatory or sarcastic, “I won’t help you figure out how to get out of your bad decision, but if you want to come home, I won’t make an issue of it anymore. I miss having you around.” Dave nodded, unsure what he wanted to do, and left._

_An hour later he was walking into a hospital room, a flower arrangement in hand. Eleni did indeed look sick; wan, pale and distant. It reminded him of when she had been hospitalized after the gang had broken her arm all those years ago. It made him extremely uncomfortable._

_She glanced up when he entered, then she looked away from him._

_He carefully put the arrangement down on the table across from her bed. Approaching the bedside, he took a small bit of paper from his pocket. Eleni still refused to look at him._

_“I’m sorry you’re not feeling well, Elle.” He stared at the side of her head, and struggled for words. **I’m looking out for you! I’m going to keep you safe!** His brain screamed these thoughts willing her to know how much he cared, “…I hope you get better soon.” _

_He realized he was scared for her, and that he hated himself for what he had been doing these past months. But she didn’t move, and he didn’t dare say any of that. _

_He slipped the note under her pillow. _

_“I want to make things right between us,” he said softly, his chest aching as he looked at her. She kept staring to the side. Tears pressed at his eyes, and he knew he had to leave before he started crying. “I miss you.”_

_She stayed still and silent as a statue._

_He couldn’t take it anymore, and left._

“Dave, I was wondering…is _she_ a mutant, too? I mean, your sister managed to get by…” 

Sanida’s comment thankfully broke Dave out of the confines of his memory, though the words didn’t immediately register. As awareness returned, he realized he was staring at a painting one the wall depicting of one of the Citadel parks. Pressure was building behind his eyes. He broke his gaze and looked down, blinking. 

When he looked up, he just stared at Sanida for a moment even though the answer to her question was a simple and uncomplicated lie. He wondered how deep the lies would go, and whether he’d ever get caught in them.

“No, she isn’t,” he finally said. Sanida nodded, but seemed doubtful. Natal looked away, clearly uncomfortable about discussing this topic seriously. Then the man made an effort to understand, though Dave wished he’d just left well enough alone.

“Everyone knew your parents diverged from the norm, and their prestige got them by. Your father was lenient in a lot of ways,” he said quietly, “but I suppose…he did it himself, so why not encourage you?”

Dave stood up in anger. 

“It wasn’t like that!” he found himself yelling, and caught sight of Natal’s shocked face which was quickly becoming defensive. He forced himself calm and sank back into his seat. “I’m sorry. Look, it’s over. But it wasn’t like that. I really cared for her.” Sanida and Natal shared a look, and Dave had to force his anger back down. “I know that you don’t really want to talk about it. And I don’t either. I’m not the one who brought it up, anyway. So, let’s leave it at that.”

“Fine,” Natal said shortly. “Let’s plan and get this over with.” Dave nodded relieved.

It took him a minute to fully get his brain trained on the new subject. Natal had started by talking about the next meet and greet: he had the room booked and all the details set. Sanida would start spreading the word the day before the actual meeting. 

Sanida then gave an update on the families she had met since then as well as her impressions from the last meet and greet.

“I mentioned taking a legal route with two of them, the families that is, and they both expressed support,” she finished. Dave nodded, satisfied with that. 

His companions turned to him for his update, and he took a moment to organize his thoughts before beginning. 

“At the last meet and greet, ten people brought up having a public display, like a rally or something.” As Sanida’s face darkened and Natal sat back, Dave spread his hands, a calming gesture. “It came from them. I didn’t bring it up. We need to consider it.” Sanida jumped on him immediately.

“Dave, these meet and greets are risky as it is. Things have gone well so far, but we are only engaging a tiny portion of the Citadel population. There are plenty of people out there who don’t agree with us. These people suggesting rallies don’t understand that. And apparently neither do you.” Natal said nothing, satisfied to let the two of them argue it out.

“Yes, but their desire for change is strong, as is ours! We believe that there is a way for mutants to be incorporated into the population, and we need to show that. These conversations we are having with people are valuable, but a rally will be real evidence of our commitment! That it’s not just some bizarre side project we are doing to amuse ourselves while in university. And we can be careful!”

Natal snorted. 

“’Amuse ourselves’…an interesting way to describe pursuing something close to treason.” Dave grimaced, but not without seeing the humor. The man had a way of shoving his opinions in through a side door. Sanida took advantage of the comment.

“Exactly! And for that reason, we have to do this through standard political channels. Dave, it will only give us more security that way.”

Dave shook his head. “Security isn’t all it is cut out to be. Being safe can suffocate a cause in the name of preserving it. And look,” he leaned in, making sure to catch both of their eyes before continuing, “I’m not suggesting we parade through the streets with placards demanding mutant amnesty. Our audience so far is small, so it would be a small rally. If we pick an out-of-the way place and keep it short, it will start to galvanize our base and no one outside of the Network will know.”

“Out-of-the-way?” Natal smirked, “Just where do you plan to find a place like that in the Citadel. Bloc 8?” The sarcastic comment played straight into Dave’s hand.

“As a matter of fact, yes.” Natal and Sanida went silent, and Sanida actually paled a bit.

“You’ve got to be kidding, Dave.” 

Bloc 8, the segment of the city found to the east, was empty. Fifty years ago, there had been a devastating outbreak of disease, which many assumed had originated with a mutant. Bloc 8 had held the brunt of the epidemic, and in desperation, the city had quarantined all sick individuals there, and sealed off the Bloc, as all the Blocs could, with massive walls that rose from the ground to fit in to the girders of the Veil high above. 

The sealing of Bloc 8 was the last time it had been done. It had remained closed for 20 years while the military slowly cleaned it up and rebuilt it. The tests that identified mutants more accurately were developed in response to the disaster, though it was never proven have actually begun with a mutant.

When Bloc 8 was reopened, however, no one had wanted to live there. It remained all but deserted to this day.

Dave himself felt a bit nervous approaching that part of the city, but he pushed the ghost stories aside, and talked over his colleague’s fear.

“It’s right beside the train yard, and there are plenty of warehouses.” The Bloc was mainly used for storage at the moment, “I’m sure we can find one in which to store supplies. We wouldn’t need much anyway. Also, we can ride the trolley’s and get off at the stop just before the train yard to stock the supplies, so it doesn’t look like we’re going for a stroll in the Bloc.” He eyed Natal at that, hoping the logistics at least would engage him.

He was right, as Natal nodded distantly.

“That could work. I could find a warehouse, no problem. And there is a small square, near the point. It’s not so far from Blocs 7 and 1…” his voice trailed off as Sanida caught his eye with an irritated look. He shrugged, “It’s intriguing. We might not do anything for a while, but I doubt the situation in Bloc 8 is going to change during that time.”

Sanida rolled her eyes, but gave in.

“Fine. We plan out _logistics_, but take no action at this time. And no talking of it to _anyone_.”

“Fine,” Dave echoed as he sat back, satisfied and stable. The invigoration of the debate had returned his emotional equilibrium. “So, about the families I’ve met…”


	25. Chapter 24

**ELENI**

The scrap of paper Eleni held lightly between her fingers was worn soft and well-creased. She had to fold it up small to fit it in the tiny space where she stored it, and usually resisted the urge to take it out often for fear it would fall apart. That, and the fact that having a piece of paper with words written in the language of the Citadel would be hard to explain. 

However, other than her bracelet it was the only item she had from Dave. The fact that he had written the words himself made her feel closer to him, no matter what they said.

She usually held it and wondered how he was doing. She would note that he was well into his first year of law school now, where she knew he would excel. Thinking of this, she would wish she could be there to push him, annoy him, and support him. Sometimes she would wonder, until her heart sank nearly too far, if he had met the woman who would become his wife. He would likely be married within a handful of years: that was the norm in the Citadel, and their relationship aside, Dave had been cut from the shroud of that city.

That was what she usually thought about. Today, however, her thoughts were different. She read and reread the sparse words he had written, and she instead wished he was there so she could talk to him, even though she could never share with him the situation in which she found herself.

I’m sorry.  
I’ve been terrible.  
I’m coming back.

It was a note steeped in ugly feelings. When she had read it for the first time, her initial thought had been that every sentence started with ‘I’. The inherent selfishness and arrogance of the sentiment had pulled her even farther from the forgiveness she could never give. It had made her furious.

But now she was in the same place as he had been. She could right the very same note, save for inverting the last line. Someday soon she might.

She was lying on a grassy patch of the Atrium, waiting for Matthew. This garden was off to the side, in a small enclosed space. The seclusion had spared her from the comments and occasional physical items thrown her way. She would have loved to linger in that solitude. Nonetheless, the time was almost done. 

The hand holding the note dropped to the side of where she was lying. There were no answers there, only memories of an especially wretched time in her life. She sighed out and let it all go.

The world fell away, and it was just her, the grass she was lying on, the Atrium and the sky above. The fragrant smells of plant life, both sweet and putrid, wafted by at intervals, just as they had in the parks at the Citadel.

She felt her body fade away as she returned to the bones that made up their world instead of those of an actor who moved within them. For a moment everything stopped. She knew it would only start again at her instruction.  
Laughing softly at her fantasy, she let it go as well. Through the bond she could feel that Matthew was approaching.

**MATTHEW**

Matthew made his way through the Atrium, narrowing in on the spot where Eleni waited. While her message had indicated the garden where she would wait, he knew that he would have been able to find her without that information. The bond, which he was now positive had weakened during their time apart, had regained and surpassed its previous strength.

Of course, that meant he was even more witness to the hints of emotion, or lack thereof, that colored Eleni’s mental state. And right now that state made him hold his breath and will her to stay.

He felt a keen relief as he crossed the threshold of the garden, and spotted Eleni lying on the grass. She sat up, and smiled, thankfully returning.

She stood as he came over, and he kissed her and held her tightly. She did the same in return, and he felt his uncomfortable feelings recede.

“Any comments today?” she asked quietly, giving him an opening to talk about the verbal abuse he suffered daily. She tucked something into her pocket as she said this. He just shrugged.

“They don’t matter,” was all he said. Then, with Eleni’s hand firmly in his, he moved them towards the entrance. “Come on. Let’s go dance.” 

In the auditorium, they were greeted by a contingency from the DownMountain and some rare good news.

“Hulio’s first single will be released next week. The album should be out in a month.” G and the singer himself mimed clinking glasses at his upcoming debut, and G wince slightly at the movement, though no one but Matthew seemed to notice. Hulio’s excitement was written clear on his face.

“I can’t wait to hear it, man. Sure you can’t give us a sneak preview?” Matthew goaded gently. Hulio was adamant.

“You’ve got to do a debut right. I’m not leaking anything that might soften the blow,” he said seriously. Matthew nodded, slightly disappointed.

“When are you guys coming Down? Scarlet wants proof that you are back together,” G interjected.

“She could just read the tabloids,” Eleni pointed out. The despicable publications were resorting to anything at all that could smear their relationship. G responded archly.

“Apparently, she has never trusted them as a source of fact.” He rolled his eyes.

“She just wants to roast us,” Matthew commented. G nodded, a knowledgeable look on his face as he spoke.

“Well, I don’t know about the ‘us’ part, but she is looking for some entertainment.” Now Matthew rolled his eyes.

“Well, it’s not going to happen anytime soon,” Eleni said, and Matthew found himself agreeing. They had next to no extra time in their current schedules. Life was a blur of school, dance and sleep with some eating inserted at intervals. As if to punctuate that though, Master Trenaw’s irritated voice echoed from the front of the room.

“Eleni. Matthew! Why are you not changed?” 

After a quick goodbye and a last congratulations for Hulio, the two left the auditorium and separated. 

Today, Matthew began with another run through with the princesses before they moved onto other parts of the ballet. It was in the large auditorium, which he found he could manage now, given that there were usually observers in the audience. Chill silence met him as he went joined the other dancers. 

“Cordelia, you go first. Do a run through while I work with the others, and I’ll evaluate when I return,” Master Trenaw instructed.

Cordelia approached Matthew, and he steeled himself. During practices, she ‘accidently’ pricked him with her claws whenever she got the chance. The other two dancers were preferable; they simply refused to speak with him, which he found had a positive side: their behavior made it all the easier to play the disinterested prince.

“Hi Mattie,” Cordelia said snidely as she stepped up beside him prior to the start.

“Cordelia,” he returned.

“Selene has Jenna over at the club this afternoon,” she exhaled in jealous disgust, “I don’t know why I’m still here.”

“No one is making you stay,” he pointed out, though he knew he shouldn’t encourage her. The last thing the ballet needed was to lose any more dancers, though the hemorrhaging had stopped after Madam P’s announcement. A couple of dancers had even asked to come back.

The woman glared up at him.

“I can’t wait until you get your brain out of that bitch’s—,” Matthew walked over to Tuli halfway through this comment, again turning things around in his head: he had to suffer through this abuse, but he never had to see Jenna.  
The run-through with the princesses happily passed muster the first time around, and then they moved on to the hunting scene. When the practice came to an end, Matthew made a beeline to the room where Eleni was, but was waylaid by Madam P.

Matthew looked at his dance teacher questioningly as she pulled him aside. Picking up on his concern she spoke quietly.

“Nothing to do with the ballet, Matthew. I just,” she cleared her throat, “well, as Eleni has deigned to forgive your trespasses, I felt it safe to tell you that I am happy you two are back together,” she fixed him with a hard glance, “but keep in mind that I don’t think Eleni gives third chances.” 

Matthew squirmed, slightly irritated at the direction of the conversation. Thankfully the teacher moved on to something else.

“I also took the time to…understand Eleni’s position on the topic of presents. As she seems to have a sensitivity there.” Madam P laid a conspiratorial hand on his arm and held his eyes with hers. “Stick to her birthday. She revealed to me that is the only time she and her mother ever exchanged presents. To celebrate the other on one day of the year.” Madam P nodded as if seeing the wisdom of the tradition “It makes the gifts, and the feeling behind them, all that much more meaningful.” The teacher smiled and patted his arm. “And hers is coming up in March.” 

Matthew watched, bemused, as the dance teacher walked away. It crossed his mind that that birthday actually belonged to Tara. He didn’t know when Eleni’s real birthday was, and made a note to ask her at some point. 

Setting that thought aside, he turned to continue on his original course only to see that Eleni had just entered the auditorium. 

As soon as he saw her, it was like a weight lifted from his shoulders. A relieve smile lit her face as well. Coming over, she murmured a comment under her breath.

“This is going to be the first version of Swan Lake where the other swans and cygnets are planning to do off with Odette. I feel like I’m dancing surrounded by knives.” 

Matthew grimaced in sympathy. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, feeling how meaningless those words could be.

Eleni turned her eyes forward, and stared out into the nearly empty audience. He sensed a stillness. A sadness. She was poised again. His throat closed. He reached out and took her hand gently in his.

“I’m here,” he managed to say. She looked back at him, and gave a ghost of a smile.

“I know. That’s what makes it all bearable. That, and the dancing. So, let’s dance.”

Whatever was the source of the tremulous quality in her, it only heightened her role as Odette. As they danced, Matthew experienced a fleeting sensation, as if of something caught and then immediately lost again. Lost, and eternally mourned.

He vowed he wouldn’t let that happen.

A week passed, Hulio’s first single came out, and was an instant hit.

Two days later, Matthew got a desperate text from the man. He had been invited to a luncheon, and knew nearly no one at the event. He wanted Matthew to join him there; it was schedule to start in a half hour.

It was a Holday, and Matthew and Eleni were again at the studio rehearsing. After checking in with Madam P, he replied to Hulio that they couldn’t stay long, but would stop by during their lunch break.

“I am so relieved you are here,” Hulio said as they walked up.

“No problem,” Matthew reassured him. They entered the venue.

Matthew knew a good portion of the guests, and made several introductions for Hulio. People were cordial to him through the greetings, but then focused solely on the singer. If it was a lukewarm reception for Matthew, then it was positively frosty for Eleni. They acted like she wasn’t there at all. After a half hour, Matthew signaled across the room to Hulio that he and Eleni were leaving. The man smiled his thanks and quickly went back to his conversation.

They were silent as they walked away from the restaurant.

“Sometimes, I think it was better at the Citadel,” the quiet comment didn’t shock Matthew as it might once have, but he didn’t understand it either.

“How so?”

“I was simply never in situations like that. I never realized how…nasty they could feel.” 

Matthew had nothing to say to that. There was an uncomfortable lump in his own stomach from the experience, even though nothing about it was a surprise.

“You can go back to that, you know,” Eleni looked at him earnestly as she said this, and he understood that she wasn’t trying to push him away. She was stating a fact. He thought as they walked, then squeezed her hand.

“I don’t see why we can’t be together and have happy lives as well. We just haven’t found the right place.” Or the right people. The Montagne had a population of close to 300,000 with somewhere between a quarter and a third of those living UpMountain. There had to be some reasonable people out there.

When Matthew saw G again a few days later, they found the man similarly subdued by Hulio’s success.

“He’s up here nearly every day you know.” Matthew hadn’t known. Hulio hadn’t contacted him since that first event. “It’s ok, though. I’ve been training some of the older kids at the Towers for a while now and was able to hire one of them. They seem to be working out well.” G stared around the auditorium at random. “He’ll have a good life here,” G finished. Matthew nodded and found he had nothing to say to that.

His friend glanced at him.

“Natalya is tickled pink that you and Eleni are back together.”

“Wha--? Since when are you on a first name basis with Madam P?” The large man shrugged. It was not a humble gesture.

“What can I say? We have a connection.”

“Forget all that stuff you say about me…,” G laughed deep in his throat, then went on with his original subject.

“How is Adam taking it?” It was Matthew’s turn to shrug.

“I think he’s accepted it. He’s ok with it.” The truth was he and Eleni hadn’t spent a lot of time with the man since getting back together. Adam had asked the other night when Matthew was going to have Eleni over for dinner. Matthew wasn’t avoiding it for any reason other than with their busy schedules and both of them at the dance studio so much, it was simply easier to eat at Madam Ps.

He looked at G.

“You staying for dinner tonight?” G gave him a sideways look, but smiled.

“I will, when I can fit it in. I’m a busy man you know.”

“Everyday? I know you eat at the cafeteria most of the time.”

“Dinner is a good time to get to know the people. The ones that aren’t working the distant production units at least. I take advantage of that.”

Matthew nodded.

“You give a lot of yourself to them.” G waved his hand, dismissing the compliment.

“I just try to lend them a bit of strength. If you can give me a week’s notice, I can probably make something happen.”

Matthew brought it up later while they were preparing dinner in Madam P’s kitchen. Matthew was cutting mushrooms and Eleni warming a broth, while Madam P sliced some squash from the hydroponic fields. 

“That young man is welcome here anytime,” Madam P said, clearly pleased with the suggestion, “but speaking of dinner, it has been a while since I’ve gone out. Why don’t we make it an outing? With Adam, of course.”

Matthew sensed it was some sort of olive branch, and started to speak his enthusiasm for the idea, but then picked up on tones of reluctance from Eleni. 

“We could just get something nice, and eat it here,” he said instead, not sure how he felt about that. Was he giving up?

“Nonsense,” Madam P said firmly. Matthew saw her eyes shift to Eleni for a moment, “I will make the reservations later tonight. And let’s invite young James as well.”

“Here, let me ‘mote G to see when he can come.”

The next Holday Eve the five of them were walking into The Trivet, a small, but very much upscale restaurant just off of the theater district. The host blanched when he saw whom Madam P had brought to the restaurant, but the woman simply walked by.

“Ah, I see you’ve prepared a table in the corner, just like I asked. Thank you, Tedos.”

They were seated, and started perusing the menu. Madam P asked Adam to order a bottle of wine for the table. G offered to help, and proceeded to pick Adam’s brain about the selection. Waves of hesitation and tentative enjoyment radiated from Eleni. Matthew didn’t realize he was staring at her, surprised by her reaction, until she met his eyes and made a face. 

“Matthew, what have you done to irritate your better half?” G laughed appreciatively and tipped his head to Madam P before learning more about cabernets.

“He’s making fun of the fact that I have never eaten in a setting like this before,” Eleni responded flatly.

“But we’ve eaten out before,” Madam P pointed out to her charge. “As have you and Matthew.”

“Yes, but it was more casual.” That was true. This restaurant was far nicer than the ones Matthew usually frequented unless his was with his father. “This is…exciting,” Eleni seemed embarrassed. Madam P beamed, and reached over to squeeze her charge’s hand.

“It is good to see you start to relax, Eleni.” Matthew agreed.

Their waiter, however, was not happy with their presence, and looked ill when G put in the order for the wine. Then he was gone and the mood was upbeat until the food came.

“Um, Elle, you got fish, no? And G, you didn’t have any meat, did you?”

“It’s no problem,” Eleni murmured. “It’s still food.”

“And it actually looks like food,” G added appreciatively, pushing through the thick sauce for chunks that were not meat.

“No, wait,” Madam P said, as Adam motioned the waiter over.

“There’s been a mistake,” Madam P pointed out the errors of G and Eleni’s orders, and asked for them to prepare the correct dishes immediately. The waiter nodded, and walked away.

Matthew saw Eleni and G share a look. 

“Here, G, I think there are more veggies on this one.”

“Mmm-mm-mmmm,” G said as he took her plate and handed his to Madam P to pass to Eleni, “fresh vegetables. Don’t know that I’ve ever seen real ones before.” But he grinned as he made the joking comment.

Their new food didn’t come for nearly an hour, but Matthew barely noticed as G took control of the conversation. He smiled at his friend’s antics, and it occurred to him that G kept talking on purpose to distract them from dwelling on the mistreatment he and Eleni were receiving.

“So, Matthew,” the large man said the name with particular emphasis. “Studying hard I hope?”

“Of course! When I do something, I do it right.” He didn’t really want to think about school. 

“Well, we would really need Elle’s opinion to know if that is true, but I’ll take your word on it for now.” Madam P nearly snarfed her wine, and Adam coughed, clearly not used to G’s taste in humor, especially when it came to Matthew. Eleni blushed, but simply sipped her wine, as her eyes slid sideways to meet Matthew’s. In spite of her embarrassment she gave the suggestion of complete satisfaction. He returned a half grin. Adam cleared his throat again.

“I understand from Matthew that you have in interest in civil work, G.”

“Ah yes, I do. It has such a direct impact on all our lives, yet goes unseen for the most part. But, were I to pursue an education, it would be in psychology.”

“Psychology, James?” Madam P interjected, surprised. “The art of discerning people’s personalities?”

“And so much more. The art of understanding why they do what they do. And why different people do different things in the same situation. Not just personality, motives, incentives, all of it.”

“Then that’s not strictly psychology. You’re on the edge of philosophy, or politics, even economics there.”

“Very true. You could say I am a student of them all. And how they come together. You must understand the whole…”

“…as a sum of its parts,” Eleni finished, in a sardonic tone. “Madam P and Adam, I should warn you that G has been banned from talking about these topics at the Towers. There is some debate about whether his mutant power is the ability to bore people to death with his ravings on psychology.”

For once, they shared a laugh at G’s expense, as the man gave his ‘sister’ an appraising look. The conversation turned to the more mundane.

A short while later, with no sign of the correct dishes, Eleni suggested the three UpMountainer’s go ahead and order dessert so that they could all eat together when the food did come.

“But then what about you?” Adam asked, concerned. Eleni shook her head.

“I try not to eat too many sweet things, anyway.”

“And yet, you love cake,” Madam P said smugly. Eleni ducked her head, though she was smiling. 

“Really?” Matthew said. Madam P nodded, smug.

“I got a fruit cake from a student around the Solstice, and I think I only ate about one slice. Yet, the rest disappeared.” The woman was clearly delighted when Eleni flushed, and Matthew tucked his girlfriend’s preference for the rare treat away in his memory.

“That reminds me,” Madam P continued, “we have your birthday to celebrate.” 

Matthew registered surprise and confusion through the bond, though Eleni kept her face still.

“That’s right!” G exclaimed, saving her, “March 20th. And you are going to be an adult, the big 18. We need to do something special.”

“No, please don’t. I had forgotten about it,” Eleni objected, but G and Madam P caught Matthew’s eye across the table, and he knew there was no way it would be forgotten. 

“Your birthday’s coming up, too, Mattie,” Adam added unnecessarily. Matthew glared at him.

“When is that?” Eleni chirped up.

“April. Just after the performance.”

The dinners and desserts finally came. As they finished, Adam got up from the table and spoke briefly to the host. He was in conversation with a woman Matthew believed was the manger when they walked out the door. They waited and he caught up a moment later.

“What was that about?” Matthew asked quietly.

“I just recalled something about their usual shipment. Thought I’d let them know while I was there.” Matthew looked at his father, but the man didn’t provide any further detail.

They rode the closed car to the train station, where they all said goodbye to G. Adam went straight home from there, but Matthew walked back to the dance school with Madam P and Eleni, and even though it was late she persuaded him to come in for a while.

Seated on the couch, he asked her about the incident at dinner.

“It wasn’t surprising,” she said. “I…I’m kind of mad at myself, because I had started to get comfortable.”

“But, you should be comfortable.” She looked down.

“It just makes it easier for them to hurt you,” she said. He found he understood what she meant.

“We should try some other places. There must be somewhere that is not so stuck up,” he said quietly. She nodded, pensive. 

She took his left hand and unwound it from around her shoulders. Holding it in front of her, she traced the bones from his wrist to his fingers, the tips of her fingers gently playing across his. He couldn’t help but laughing.

“That tickles.” She smiled, but stopped.

“You enjoy jewelry,” she observed, touching the rings he wore. He shrugged. The hand she was holding had a small collection. He didn’t normally wear so much, but had put them on for the dinner. There was a single gold one on his right hand as well. He wore no chain that night, but did have on a pair of earrings.

Eleni traced up and down the ring finger of his left hand.

“You know, where I came from, people only wore rings on this finger if they were married.” Matthew had three rings on that finger.

“Hmmm? You hear about that in ancient tales. People exchange special gifts here; they’re called marriage pacts. They usually match in some way.”

“I like that,” she said, as she slowly maneuvered the three rings off his finger. They were an assortment, and each had a different design and was a different color: one was red-gold, one was silver and one was black. Matthew had selected them because he liked the way the colors looked together. His memory whispered that Jenna would have scolded him for not wearing a matching set. He set that thought aside.

“Do they bother you?” he asked, as Eleni inspected the rings. She looked up at him, surprised.

“No! I like them.” She held up the silver one. “I think I’ll keep this one.” She returned the other two to his finger, then tried the silver one on her hand. There was no finger upon which it fit well.

“I’ll have to get a chain,” she murmured, as she turned to kiss him. “Thank you.” He smiled as her lips met his. He found he liked the idea of her having the ring, even though there was nothing special about it. Well, he supposed, now there was. He pulled her close.

Some indeterminate amount of time later, the sound of a throat clearing made them pull apart in surprise. Madam P stood in the entryway to the room, looking at them with a mixture of limited tolerance and amusement on her face.

“It is late,” she noted. Indeed, she was wearing a robe and seemed on her way to bed herself, “and you both need your sleep.” With that she bid them goodnight and went up the stairs.

Matthew looked back at Eleni, and they burst out in quiet laughter at their embarrassment. They had only been kissing. He said good night, kissing her one more time, and left. As he walked home, he mused that it was the first time that it hadn’t been Eleni who ended their intimacy.

He didn’t know what to make of the spike of anxiety that followed that realization.

**EBONY**

“Travis. That was quite a display Alant put on for you.” Ebony watched as her friend set his bag down on the royal table as it was called. Just a couple days ago, Travis’s ex-boyfriend, though the relationship had never been public, had waylaid him on the way to the cafeteria to make a very romantic, and public, display for the young lord. Everyone was waiting on Travis’ response. And not just because of the romance.

Travis grunted noncommittally. Ebony bristled internally. “You can’t let something like that just fall flat on its face,” she pointed out. Travis, it turned out, was prepared.

“Hey, I memorized one of those prophecies. Why don’t we talk about that instead,” he replied and then started to recite:

_“The Helm! The Helm!_  
_They fly_  
_And return us to Life._

Or, there’s the one about ‘the Rocks falling.’ What does it mean?”

Ebony glared at him.

“The Rocks has already been fulfilled by a rock slide, and it’s ‘deliver us unto Life’,” she couldn’t stop herself from growling. “Travis, don’t avoid the topic. This is serious.” She willed her friend to see her sincerity.

Travis sighed, resigned.

“Look, Ebb, you know it doesn’t make sense. I told you how it went down between Alant and I. He was fine with us keeping things quiet, but he didn’t want the notoriety of being with a Lensherr. Or the compromises if we got serious.” Travis shook his head firmly. “That is done.” Then, after a moment of silence, he added quietly. “I know him and I know he was put up to it.”

Ebony looked to the side, trying to find a way to bring her friend around. She agreed with Travis’ assessment, but Alant was a Shaw, and that was not a family to snub. All Travis had to do was have a public relationship for a short period of time, then back out saying they weren’t compatible. It wasn’t that hard.

“Trav, look, you haven’t been with anyone for a while and most people didn’t know you and Alant were an item to start with. Major coup that, by the way.” Injecting a bit of praise to boost the ego couldn’t hurt. Travis nodded in acknowledgement. “What if you saw it as a learning experience. You know, to try being in a public relationship, learn what it is like. You and Alant are comfortable with each other, and you’d get a bit of action. That doesn’t sound so bad, right?” And it would lend some political stability, both in school and out.

Travis didn’t reply for a long moment. He stared out over the cafeteria. Ebony glanced at the doors. She had only just started to realize that Travis, in positioning himself as a shield for the sewer rat, had also gained a certain amount of shielding from her presence as well. Ebony had known he used his natural awkwardness to keep people at bay, but kicked herself for not seeing his ploy with the girl sooner. This was a conversation they couldn’t have with that woman present. She cut to the chase.

“OK. I’ll just say it. This is because of your DownMountain friends, in particular the time you spend with that fat fool. Your joke about needing to know your subjects because someday you might be ‘subjecting’ them doesn’t cut it anymore. Understanding the DownMountain and its people is one thing; becoming friends with them,” or more she thought but didn’t say, “is another.”

Travis didn’t respond to that comment, and continued to survey the cafeteria. Ebony wondered if he was buying time until Eleni arrived.

“Do you ever feel like it is all a lie?” Travis finally replied. Ebony nearly groaned out loud. This was not the time for philosophizing. She tried to think of a way to derail the pensive thoughts as Travis went on. “All this posturing we do. Living by the rules we made up for ourselves. Always checking ourselves to make sure we are doing the ‘right’ thing, and by right, I mean the thing that will keep us in favor, or popular, or powerful…”

“Travis,” she snapped in an irritated reply, “people have always created structures to adhere to. It’s called society. It’s a basic human instinct, and provides stability that allows us to succeed.” Travis finally brought his gaze to his friend.

“Based on the current definition of success,” he concluded, a bitter note to his tone. “But, it doesn’t have to be like this. The goals are arbitrary in the end. What if we had been brought up to see something else as more important? Something other than being beautiful, or powerful, or living some ideal of a life. How would we be different?”

“I don’t know,” she sighed, and resigned herself to having this conversation. “I suppose we would be different. But we wouldn’t be achieving the things we do. The UpMountain is a center of culture and technological achievement. Just the fact that we managed to survive the Devastation, under Magneto’s guidance, is a testament to our strength and perseverance. Mutants are ascendant, as it was always meant to be.”

Travis gaze turned hooded, but he said nothing.

“What?” Travis, however, was turning away to smile at Eleni. Ebony grimaced, then graced the girl with a haughty look.

“I thought I smelled something,” she said, her irritation getting the better of her as she rose and walked away.

**CITADEL 3021.03.01**

**DAVE**

Drexel Park, Dave thought to himself as he rode the trolley to his destination. It was a famous park, one of the largest in the city, and had just come into view out the window. His own visits to the park were few: it was located in Bloc 5, to the north west of the city, and a distance from where both of his parents lived. Nonetheless, he felt like he knew it well: it had been Eleni’s favorite.

_They let the pine trees grow tall at Drexel, and if you stand right in the middle it feels like a forest! Or, what I think I forest feels like…_

He could see the stand of pines pointing up above the walls of the park to heights that rivaled some of the residential buildings of the area. Dave breathed in deeply, and kept his eyes trained on the trees until they were blocked by a building. Coming back to himself, he decided he’d visit the park if his appointment in Bloc 5 ended early enough. The days were getting longer, and even though it was already mid-afternoon, he thought there might be enough light left when he was done.

“Star court. Star court,” the automated system chirped. Dave started, and scrambled to get his phone out as he stood. Glancing at it, he saw that he had overshot his destination.

“Damn,” he swore softly, and ran to the door before it closed. Looking down the tracks, there was no sign of a trolley coming the other direction and Dave decided to back track and find his way on foot.

Crossing to the sidewalk, he made his way down a street that could be nearly any other broad street in the Citadel. Stately grey buildings, uniform, clean and orderly. His eyes lazily grazed the variety of the shop windows to the left of where he was walking.

A murmur of voices caught his attention and he looked up to find a group of young men dressed roughly in leather-like materials, often edged in metal, hovering on the sidewalk ahead of him. A gang. Dave gritted his teeth. They were loitering right where he needed to go. He made to backtrack, but then stopped himself. He had run away the last time he had seen a gang. Was he going to do that his entire life? Squaring his shoulders, he walked on.

“Can we help you?” one of them said, turning in his direction. The tone was respectful, though there was also an element of wariness. 

“No, thank you.”

“Hey, aren’t you Dave Kelly?” The group shifted slightly, and a man with black hair and beige skin stepped forward. “Are you doing officer training?” There was an edge of hope to the man’s voice.

“Ah, no. I’m in the law program the university. I’m here for a meeting.”

The young man who had posed the question was clearly disappointed. The group parted to let him through.

A moment later, Dave was passing a large, imposing gate that permitted entry to the walled block to his left. The home of the military campus that trained those on the officer track. No doubt the gangs were lingering here because they had friends within and were waiting to see them. 

Sure enough, as he walked on a man about his age and dressed in the grey-black camo of scout garb passed by him, and then he could hear the man chatting with the gang behind him. Looking back, he saw that the man had taken out his handgun, and was showing it to them as if it were a piece of candy. Only the military was allowed to carry guns in the Citadel.

Dave turned forward, part disquieted part intrigued. Firearms had been banned for the general population centuries back, while the military had still been in charge. Petitions to rescind the order had been rejected based on evidence that widespread use of the devices had impeded the population growth the city desperately needed. As such, he wasn’t used to seeing someone flash a weapon with such nonchalance. He himself had held one before, on a visit to their club with his father. There had been an indoor shooting range there, and he had fired a few shots, getting mix of thrill and nausea from the kick back of the weapon.

Dismissing the thought and focusing on his goal, Dave used the gate to orient himself; he would turn left at the end of the walled block. He walked on.

“Dave? Dave Kelly?” Dave turned, not immediately processing the voice that had called his name. By the time he recognized the face, it was too late to act ignorant.

Zach Kaldwell, himself dressed in military costume, was coming up behind him. He had apparently just emerged from the gate, and jogged to close the remaining distance between them quickly. Dave watched him, trying to determine the best way to greet and then get rid of this man he hated; he had received a second warning from his father about taking any action after Eleni’s death. Apparently, Zach had been cooperative with the investigation, though probably not entirely honest, or so Dave assumed. Robert hadn’t actually revealed the names of Eleni’s attackers, but Dave had no doubt that Zach has been there.

“Zach,” he said flatly. Hopefully, the man wanted to make pleasantries, and pretend like nothing had ever happened. They were fellow alum of Baybrook, and both sure to hold positions of importance and influence. Some sort of relationship, even a dysfunctional one, would probably benefit one or both of them in the future.

Sure enough, Zach asked about law school, and Dave managed a question about Zach’s military ambitions. He learned that the man was on the officer track and doing well. Non-information that he could have figured out for himself.

Small talk fulfilled, the conversation fell to a lull and Dave prepared to excuse himself.

“It’ll be a year in April, won’t it?” 

“What?” The man could hardly be referring to what Dave suspected. 

“Your sister. The robbery. Such a needless waste…she was something else.” The robbery: that had been the story that had covered up the brutal attack on two of the Citadel’s citizens. It had been blindingly easy to for his father to put in place no doubt because it helped the rest of the population forget that those two had ever existed. 

Nausea edged Dave’s stomach as his mind resisted sincerity and regret in the man’s softly spoken words. He barely kept himself in check.

“I have a meeting I need to get to,” he said in clipped tones moving away, but Zach closed the distance and spoke in a whisper, the carriage of his body intent.

“Dave…there’s something I want to ask you. It’s just strange, but…well it’s strange and you might know something.”

The man’s hesitant attitude was peculiar.

“What?” Dave said shortly, looking away, and hoping this would be quick. 

“The gang that went to the apartment…I talked to them and they said they didn’t touch her. They never even saw her. Only the mother. And there was no body.”

Dave looked up as his mind processed that the man was referring to the gang who had instigated the ‘robbery’, and this time he couldn’t deny that there was hope in Zach’s eyes. 

“You think she’s alive?” he asked, incredulous. “What? So, you can try to attack her again?”

Irritation and trepidation flashed across Zach’s face.

“I never--!”

“I know it wasn’t a robbery!” Dave hissed to cut off Zach’s lie. 

Zach went quiet for a moment, then nodded.

“I thought you might. Look, it wasn’t supposed to be like that. It wasn’t even my idea. And then Shan got paranoid and called the gang. But like I said, they never saw her--!”

“She’s dead!” Dave yelled pushing away. A few people in proximity to them looked their way, and Dave stepped back close to Zach and managed a strained whisper. “We had no body for her mother, either, and as you just said, they remember murdering her! Missing bodies are nothing new in the Citadel, go do the research yourself. And while you’re at it, remember that her blood is on your hands.”

“I said that was Shan! I just wanted to talk to her!”

Dave gritted his teeth. I just wanted to talk to her. That was the line Zach had given his father, and his accomplices had stuck fast to it as well. They had just been trying to talk to her, but she had gotten worked up and in trying to calm her down her scarf had been pulled off. That was how they had seen her hair. The color had seemed odd, and everyone knows aberrant hair color is a clear marker of mutancy: it was taught in the schools. 

Dave and his father had recognized the lie for what it was, but Robert Kelly had insisted that the story must stand: there was no evidence of anything else. Not to mention the fact that in return for not pressing the investigation further, the three young men had agreed that they had mistakenly identified Eleni as a mutant. All they had seen in the end was a brief view of her bared head in a dim alley, they really couldn’t be sure there had been anything odd. Robert Kelly had been persuasive in that, especially when bolstered by everyone’s desire to keep the incident quiet.

Dave fought to keep some semblance of calm, as the injustice of the situation ate at him. He firmly told himself that a shouting match on the street was no good, but he found he couldn’t let it go.

“Talk? Oh, and that’s all you wanted to do that time with the transport, right?” Zach became defensive.

“You’re making shit up now.” The man growled, side stepping the accusation.

“OK then! How about the time you tried to pull her into a building? I saw that,” he said in a low growl, throwing concrete evidence back at the man. Anger and frustration flooded Zach’s face.

“I just needed to get her alone, to get her to see reason. She wasn’t listening.”

Dave fought to control his own temper as he recalled the first time Zach had tried to ‘get her alone.’

_“Dave, we are going to be late.” Dave smiled distractedly down at his girlfriend. He hadn’t made any progress on finding an acceptable way to leave her in the week since the conversation with his father._

_ “It’ll be fine,” he assured her. They were supposed to meet up with Corella’s crowd at the Boutiques, a trendy section of the city that had café’s tucked in among a variety of retail shops. There wasn’t a fixed time. He focused once again on his subject. Zach was also lingering, in spite of the fact that most of his friends, who were also Dave’s friends in large part, had disappeared back into the school. _

_For the first time, Dave was thankful his bid for student council president had failed. He had run for re-election, but his new association with the Humanists had lost him numerous votes. Apparently, the students worried he would start doing things like pushing for Humanist readings in the classroom, or further restricting their freedoms based on the Humanist version of propriety._

_ At the time, Dave had been bitterly disappointed. It was another thing that was going wrong in his life, like his inability to break up with Corella, the increasing pressure he was receiving from her family to show some movement towards accepting their beliefs, and the fact that Eleni was absent from his days. He had signed up for a law exam prep course to distract himself from his disappointment, and that would be starting in a week._

_Now, however, he was thankful he had lost. It gave him the time to help keep Eleni safe. She had returned to school the day before._

_ “Dave, we should really go.” Irritated, he pulled his thoughts back to his secondary plan: using this time as another attempt to ease himself from Corella’s grip._

_ “Cory, what we were talking about—”_

_ “Dave, I thought we were done with that.”_

_ “I was not. We’ve tried this, and you and I work well together, but I simply cannot come around to some of your Humanist beliefs.”_

_ “Some of them. But you are admitting there are others you would consider. That is all I ask.”_

_ “You, perhaps, but your family is not so patient.”_

_ “Dave, I am talking to them. They are facing the same difficulties as you, albeit from a different direction, but in their hearts they are accepting people and I know it will work out. Please, give them some more time!” Dave sighed in frustration. He liked Corella, and didn’t want this to end badly as his relationship with Heather had. He decided to be clearer._

_ “Corella, I’m not going back to your—” Just then Eleni emerged from the school. He wondered what had kept her, then he thought he understood as Zach moved towards her. She had been trying to wait him out. Dave’s stomach went tight._

_Eleni walked quickly from the courtyard. Zach trailed behind, not trying to catch up with her. _

_Dave stood up. Corella grabbed his arm. When he looked down at her, he saw her face had gone dark._

_“Dave we were talking,” she said, in spite of the fact that she had tried to stop the conversation from continuing a moment ago._

_“I have to go.”_

_“Dave, don’t you dare follow her. You’ve been so good, keeping your distance.”_

_“My sister’s in danger.”_

_“I saw no danger. She is just going home. It is best if you don’t associate with her. Our relationship will not survive that.”_

_Then so be it. _

_He pulled his arm free from her grasp and backed away from her spreading his hands in silent explanation. Then, trying not to see her face crumple, he turned away._

_He raced out of the courtyard, ignoring the glances that came his way from the few remaining students there. He felt bad for Corella, but she wasn’t at risk of being assaulted._

_At the street, he craned his neck, and gave ironic thanks that Zach was so tall, as he only just caught the man’s head turning a corner in the direction of the business district. Eleni went that direction most days, but occasionally went straight to her apartment, which was in a different direction._

_ Racing down the sidewalk, dodging other pedestrians as he went, he rounded the corner, and located Zach again. The man had crossed the street. Dave quickly did the same. _

_Dave reached a distance of about 15 feet behind Zach and stayed there, keeping an eye on the him and letting the crowds provide some measure of concealment. After the next bend, at the edge of the financial district, the tall man suddenly picked up his pace, and Dave lost sight of him for a moment. _

_Running again, he caught up and spotted Zach grasping Eleni’s arm at the elbow and pulling her off the sidewalk into the entryway of a building. The man had gripped her in an inconspicuous manner, and Dave suspected no one else around them realized anything was wrong. Why wasn’t Eleni fighting him off?_

_“Elle!” he yelled at the same time that Zach crumpled over. Eleni broke free, turned and started moving away, right towards Dave. Dave breathed out in relief and slowed down, but her eyes widened in shock when she saw him, and he realized she hadn’t heard him call out._

_“I have to go,” Eleni said rapidly as she rushed past. Dave looked back to where she had come from to see Zach limping in their direction, frustration and pain on the tall man’s face. Then he saw Dave, and stopped. Dave glared at him, then turned to follow Eleni. He caught up with her a block later._

_“Elle. Eleni! What happened?” She tried to shrug him off._

_“It doesn’t involve you, Dave.”_

_“Look. My dad told me Zach was paying attention to you and you didn’t want it. I was keeping an eye out. So, it does involve me.”_

_“Maybe I don’t want it to involve you! Just go back to your girlfriend.”_

_“We broke up,” he said through clenched teeth, trying to keep up with Eleni who was walking through the crowd as fast as she could. Their conversation came in fits and spurts as Dave dodged people and tried to stay by Eleni’s side. “Elle, I’m walking you home, or to the office, from now on.” _

_She said nothing and they walked for several more blocks in silence. Then she turned off onto a less busy street. _

_“Elle, I’m worried for you. I don’t want to see you get hurt,” he said, following, and glad it was easier to talk._

_She continued to ignore him, and suddenly turned off the sidewalk. Dave stopped walking in surprise, and turned to see her ascending up the steps of a nondescript apartment building. He realized that this was where she lived. His dad visited them at home from time to time, but Dave only had vague memories of doing that when he was a toddler. Eleni had lived in a different apartment then._

_“Elle, please, I just want to talk to you!” he called out, but it was in vain. She disappeared into the building without so much as a backward glance._

_Defeated, but relieved she was safe, Dave turned back towards the main boulevard. As he went, he took out his phone._

_“Dad, something bad happened.”_

Dave’s heart bled as his mind snapped back to the present. But the emotion that cut him also gave him clarity of thought.

“‘To get her to see reason?’” Dave asked, contempt thick in his tone. “And were you going to do that before or after you raped her?” Zach flinched.

“It wasn’t like that! And if you hadn’t started sticking your nose where it didn’t belong, it would never have gotten so…disgusting! You’re the reason I brought Shan on. That’s not what I wanted!”

“Not what you wanted? And that makes it better somehow?” Dave laughed, incredulity coloring his attitude. “I can’t believe this. After all you did, you’re standing here talking like you feel bad, or you actually miss her – you’ve even got some sick delusion that she’s still alive for Christ’s sake! How about we talk about what she wanted? Which was not you! No matter how you try to explain it away, anything you did to her was by force!” Dave’s voice rose again, and Zach decided he had had enough.

“Forget this. I thought you might be sympathetic, being her brother and all. I thought you might actually care.” The tall man turned away.

Dave stepped forward and grabbed his former classmate.

“You have no right to miss her or to claim you care!”

“It’s none of your business, Kelly. I should never have come over.”

“Yeah, you’re right about that, but you started this and now I want answers. How? How can you act sympathetic when you had planned to rape her, and maybe did for all I know? What really happened in that alley?” 

Zach pressed his lips together. A vein stood out on his forehead.

“I didn’t—!” he started, and Dave cut off another lie.

“Forget that then. Let’s move on to how your actions led directly to her death?! How do you feel no responsibility for that?”

“I told you, that wasn’t me! I went to the garda and cooperated with your father’s questionings to try and stop it all!” He pursed his lips again and looked away. “But it was too late.” 

“What, you see yourself as some sort of savior?” Dave couldn’t believe the depth of this man’s delusion.

“I tried to stop it. I was there that day to protect her!”

“I don’t believe that. You only ever saw her as a whore.” Dave found himself flinching at the word, but was satisfied when Zach did, too. “You thought you were getting what you were due. You didn’t try to stop anything!” 

“You’re wrong! I saw her as she really was! So beautiful, so refined! I was going to give her everything she ever wanted. Everyone knows how your father stuffed her and her mother into a dingy hole and gave them only scraps! I would have given her a good life. I just needed to get her to see that!”

Dave found himself cursing his father, even knowing that Eleni’s mother had always insisted that they keep their life simple and refused extravagant gifts, just as Eleni herself had. 

“Oh yeah, so you were just going to set her up to live the life she pleased? Maybe take her to a movie from time to time? Raping her wasn’t part of that?!” The man didn’t even flinch this time.

“If only you and father hadn’t put ideas in her head. She should have understood that that is the way things worked, and that I was the best option she had!” He shook his head, placing all the blame on Dave’s shoulders. “But you got involved and things went wrong! If you’d just left well-enough alone, it would have worked out; I never would have pulled Shan in and things wouldn’t have gotten out of hand!”

Their faces were inches from each other, and Dave found he had no words to mend the man’s faulty grasp of reality. There was an intensity to Zach his mind refused to understand. 

“I would have kept her secret,” the man hissed suddenly. “She was clearly no danger. I would have given her a good life and kept her safe! If you had just minded your own business, she’d be alive and well and with me today!”

The man’s attempt to transfer the blame simultaneously gutted and empowered Dave, and from that open sore words he didn’t understand but knew to be true emerged.

“The life you would have given her would have destroyed her.”

Zach’s face twisted in fury. “Eff you, Kelly,” he hissed, and he roughly pushed his adversary from him and sulked back to the gate. This time, Dave let him go.

Breathing deeply, Dave started walking, only to realize a minute later that he was going in the wrong direction. It took him a few seconds of deep breathing to recall why he was in Bloc 5, and then realize that he was now late for his meeting. Resigned, he nonetheless made his way to the apartment to make a show of good-will.

His mind still refused to settle, however. He struggled with Zach’s emotions in regards to Eleni’s death, and the man’s delusion that she still might be alive. Something about the man’s reaction made him ill. 

Firmly telling himself that there was no similarity between himself and Zach Kaldwell, he continued on to change the world.


	26. Chapter 25

**ELENI**

Eleni walked out of the school to find Matthew waiting for her. A familiar grin lit his face as she approached, but the comfort she normally felt in return didn’t manifest. He bent to kiss her. She made it as brief as possible as fear spread within her.

This person was not Matthew. There was no psychic bond. She hadn’t known it until that moment, but the bond created a mental atmosphere between them that was simply not there. Deep down, she felt discomfort at how she had come to take the bond for granted. Outwardly, she tried to act as normal as possible.

It would be dangerous to reveal that she knew this was a shape shifter.

“Let’s go,” he said in Matthew’s voice, hooking an arm around her waist. Eleni slowly started to move, but her eyes canvassed the courtyard looking for a way out. Travis was nowhere in sight. Then her eyes caught on Ebony. Her stomach turned in distaste, but there was no other option.

“Hold on, Matthew. There’s something I need to do,” she said as if distracted, then pulled away to approach the woman she would have preferred to avoid.

“Ebony,” she said. The woman turned her head and looked at Eleni as if she was something the cat had dragged in.

“I’m busy.”

“I just need the history homework,” Eleni said quickly. Fake Matthew had followed her over, and his hand was again on her waist. She found herself gritting her teeth, and forced herself to relax and believe that her desperate tactic would work.

To her surprise, it did. Ebony’s eyes sharpened on her, and intrigue flashed in them as she looked from Eleni to the man beside her and back. 

Then she rolled her eyes and sighed in annoyance.

“You all go along while I deal with this,” she said to her friends. Relief flooded Eleni.

“You sure, Ebb?” one of them asked as they sneered at Eleni. The others had started moving as soon as Ebony had released them.

“Yes,” Ebony said, clearly irritated. “I owe Travis a favor.”

“That’s what you get for cultivating oddballs,” her friend replied under their breath as they turned and walked away. Ebony flicked her eyes to the side in apparent annoyance.

“It’s kind of long.”

“I have time.”

“Well, remember when we read chapter six, you know, about the waves of disease that struck in the late 22nd century?” Eleni nodded, then did her best to appear engaged as Ebony droned on. Hesitations aside, Eleni had to give the girl credit for her performance. She had never spoken to Ebony about their class, much less ask for homework assignments.

Not-Matthew started to get anxious after a couple minutes. Eleni guessed they had only distracted the real Matthew temporarily, and the person wasn’t sure how much more time they had. Then their message mote buzzed.

“Who’s that?” Eleni asked.

“Uh, it’s just Jae. Um, I’m going to go on ahead, ok? See you there.” He leaned in for another kiss, and Eleni offered her cheek as if that was what they normally did. He pecked it, then strode out of the courtyard.

Ebony’s eyes were still sharp on Eleni. 

“It’s going to take me a bit more time to finish explaining the assignment. Perhaps we can walk and talk?” She said it as if it was going to alleviate the imposition Eleni had placed upon her. 

“Whatever,” Eleni said, again covering her relief. Once they were out of earshot of the school, Ebony fell quiet but didn’t leave Eleni’s side.

“That wasn’t Matthew Summers, was it?” Eleni glanced at her companion.

“He was in a rush, I guess,” she replied. Ebony gave looked at her sideways, but didn’t push further.

“Shapeshifters are extremely expensive to hire,” the golden-eyed woman commented after a minute. Eleni knew that: they were on par with truth-tellers and just as rare. Eleni said nothing to confirm or contradict the woman’s guess.

After a minute of walking in silence, Ebony tried to engage her again.

“Is he really worth it?” she asked bluntly. _Yes_, Eleni thought, but she would never say that.

“I am here to dance.” 

Ebony rolled her eyes and fell silent. 

As they walked, Eleni wondered if the woman would call her on this debt. She was fairly certain Ebony would keep the incident to herself. The dark-skinned woman gave no further indication of her thoughts on the incident, though she did, however, accompany Eleni into the dance school when they arrived.

G was waiting in the seats. He was rubbing his arms, but glanced up and stopped when they came abreast of him. At first he dismissed Ebony with a glance. Then he looked again, and his eyes went sharp.

“G, this is Ebony Darkholme. Ebony, G,” Eleni made the perfunctory introduction. 

“Travis has mentioned you,” G said offhandedly. 

“My mother has mentioned you,” Ebony countered. G’s eyebrows went up.

“Let her know she’s not my type, would you?” Ebony’s eyes narrowed. Eleni trusted Travis would sort that out later.

“I need to go change,” she looked at Ebony. “Thank you.” The woman blinked, but then nodded, and with one final look at G, Eleni walked away.

**MATTHEW**

Matthew hurried to change and get into the theater as quickly as he could. He had felt a spike of fear from Eleni earlier, and she hadn’t waited at the school for him. He wanted to make sure things were ok. She had already been rehearsing when he arrived, however and he hadn’t yet had a chance to do that.

Leaving the changing room, he avoided the teachers and made his way to the auditorium. Eleni was up on stage with the other swans, but Matthew saw G in the seats with Travis. Of all people, Ebony Darkholme was standing next to them. Curious, Matthew went to join them.

“Ebony, what brings you here?” A pair of golden eyes met his, and annoyance flashed clearly in them.

“Ask your girlfriend,” she said shortly. Then she turned back to Travis, to continue a conversation they were having. “Chaney told me that Alant was hoping you’d be staying late at school sometime soon. And not with the chess club. That’s how I know. And I saw him hanging around today.”

“Well, that’s his choice. I just got here.” Travis clearly didn’t want to be having this conversation. Ebony rolled her eyes, then bent down to where he was sitting and whispered something into his ear.

Travis groaned. “Why do you have to put it like that?”

“Because it’s the truth.” Whatever that truth was, neither one of them elaborated it for their audience. Travis rose with clear reluctance.

“Another day, G,” he said with a wave that the large man returned. As the two walked out, Matthew pushed into the seat besides his friend.

“Hey, how are you doing?” he said as he sat, and gave G a light punch on the arm by way of greeting. It was followed by a flare of pain strong enough that it caught on the edges of Matthew’s telepathy. Turning, he looked at his friend and saw a wince that was quickly replaced by a wide but strained smile.

“Just fine, my pretty peacock. What’s on the docket for you today? Cordelia’s claws, or the woman who can turn herself into metal trying to crush you again?” One of the princess’, not from the Pietrovich School of Dance, had the ability to shift herself into a banded, metal form. She had shown off this ability as he was lowering her to the floor once the last week when no instructors were around. Everyone had found it hilarious.

“Something like that,” he mumbled in reply. “G, did something happen to your arm?”

“What?”

“I saw you wince. I didn’t hit you hard. Did you bang it up or something?”

“Or something,” was his friend’s muttered response. “It’s nothing. Hey, Hulio’s doing great, isn’t he? Two of his three first singles are hits, and he’s started performing up UpMountain.” 

Matthew studied G and didn’t let himself be waylaid.

“G, did someone do something to you?” He carefully extended his telepathy.

“No,” came the short reply, and Matthew got what he wanted. A clear lie.

“What happened?”

“I said it was nothing.”

“G, I know you are lying.” G’s eyes widened as he looked accusingly at his childhood friend.

“When did you start doing that? You’ve never picked up lies before.”

“It’s been coming on slowly. I guess my powers are developing further or something. Now, what happened?” Then, as an afterthought. “And how often have you been lying to me?”

G looked at him for a long moment.

“That’s the sort of thing you tell a friend.” Matthew was irritated he didn’t get the response he wanted, but couldn’t argue with G’s point.

“Sorry. I wasn’t really paying attention. I don’t use it actively.” Not usually.

G looked straight ahead, and stared at the stage for a long moment.

“I’ll tell you, but I need a promise out of you first.” Matthew sighed.

“What?”

“There are somethings I keep to myself. You need to respect that. I’ll tell you this, but there are other things I won’t tell you. If I ask you to back off, back off.” Matthew nodded, but wondered what secrets his friend was keeping.

“OK. I promise. Now what happened to your arm?”

“It got electrocuted.”

“What?! How?!”

“Your friends at the military.” Now G was grinning, and Matthew was not enjoying his morose humor.

“G, tell me what happened?”

“It’s not ‘what happened’. It’s just part of the package, apparently. When they try to sus out your mysterious mutant power.” The large man nodded as he said this, as if it were commonplace.

“They electrocute you?” Matthew countered, pointedly.

“Well, they try to surprise you. To get you to use your powers without knowing it. Often, mutant abilities are discovered in moments of surprise, or fear,” again the nod, “I think they may have exhausted the surprise element, and are moving towards the fear spectrum. You know,” his tone turned instructional, “in the past, they used electro-shock therapy for depression and other mental ailments. That’s what they told me when they started. Said it might make me happier. They seemed to find that funny.” The last was said with an odd mix of bitterness and satisfaction. Matthew didn’t dwell on it.

“I don’t know about that shit, but G, this shouldn’t be leaving you in pain.” The large man shrugged.

“I signed up for it.”

“G--!” The man waved his hand at Matthew dismissing the rest of the conversation.

“Mattie, at some point they will get tired of doing this, and give up. It’s just a matter of bearing it for now.”

“Or they’ll find your mutant power.” And if it had value, they would want it under the military’s prevue. 

Again, the dismissive wave.

“We’ll see about that. Hey look, here comes Eleni. And Master Trenaw hot on her heels. Aren’t you one of the stars of this show, Mattie?”

Matthew groaned at that reminder, and was only able to get a quick kiss and greeting in with Eleni before Trenaw ordered him off to practice. Matthew was certain the man would have taken him by the ear and dragged him to the studio room if possible.

Worry for G lingered throughout the rehearsal, and Matthew started to wonder what other methods they were using to tease out the man’s mutant ability. He suspected G was using the electrocution one as a front to conceal things that might be even worse. The man had left soon after Matthew started dancing, however, and there was no chance to ask.

Matthew filled Eleni in on his discovery that evening in the short break they had after dinner. He wouldn’t hang around that night as they both had school work to do. Matthew was finding the university work load challenging, especially when combined with his commitment to the ballet. He was up late many nights, even with coming home straight after dinner.

“They’re causing him pain?” Eleni exclaimed when she heard the news. “Is that necessary?”

“I don’t know, but it seems excessive to me.” Eleni nodded her agreement.

“Let’s keep an eye on him. But, Matthew, what can we do if it’s bad?” Matthew looked to the side. He didn’t know what they could do. Then he thought about Selene. Her family had military connections.

“There might be something,” he said slowly. “There’s a former classmate of mine, Selene Allerdyce. Her family is involved with the military. I think her mother has some influence there. I’ll reach out to her, and see if she can pull some strings.”

Eleni nodded. “If it can help G…what do you think she’ll ask for in return?” Matthew hadn’t thought that far.

“Probably some rare vintage.” He set that thought aside. “Um, Elle, she’ll probably want me to have lunch or dinner with her. It’s likely to end up in the tabloids.” Eleni looked at him for a moment, then nodded.

“Thanks for the warning.”

Sure enough, when he reached out to Selene, she insisted they have a meal together. She set it up for later that week at The Mansion, an upscale hotel that people used when they spent a night out in the entertainment district and didn’t want to stumble home after. 

“Matthew, I am so pleased to see you again,” Selene beamed at him over the intimate table-for-two, set up in one of the hotels richest suites. Matthew tried to calm his nerves by focusing on the fact that the ultra-private setting meant this meeting would not end up in the tabloids.

“Likewise, Selene. And I brought a little thank you for taking the time out of your busy training schedule.” As he said this, he pulled a cold, curved bottle with a wrapped cork top out of the case at his side. Selene positively glowed with pleasure.

“Sparkling? Matthew, you are too generous.” Her eyes flickered to the open bottle of white wine that was chilling to their side with a small look of dismay. “I suppose we could have both.”

“No, this is one of the best, and I insist.” He pulled the bottle of white wine out of its holder, and put it in the case beside him, then set to unwrapping the bottle and popping the cork.

A matter of minutes later, they toasted and set to eating the soup course that had quietly been set in front of them.

“I have to say, Selene, you do not have the look of someone who was in military training this morning.” It was true: there was no sign of exhaustion on her face, and her tanned skin glowed as if it had just been massaged with oil, not lathered in sweat. Said skin was abundantly obvious, as the dress she wore was held up with thin straps, and exposed a fair expanse of her chest before falling in a silver cascade. There were crystal highlights on the bodice.

Selene smiled dismissively.

“This is a rare treat, Matthew. I wanted to give you a proper welcome. And you have done the same for me.” This time, Matthew was wearing the latest style, a black velvet ensemble that was tight in the shoulders but loose around the waist. Green peaked out from the top of the collar, and the gold pin on his breast, in the shape of the Summers Vineyard emblem, was the only embellishment. He had brought the outfit with him to school and changed after his morning seminar. He was skipping a lecture in order to fit this meeting into his schedule.

For a while they ate and spoke of nothing much; the state of the vineyard and the club, the latest buzz in the UpMountain, and some reminiscing from high school, though they avoided mention of Jenna which limited that topic significantly. They also spoke of nothing that brought them close to the topic of Eleni, and the ballet only came up once in passing.

Selene was quite aggressive in pouring the champagne, though Matthew remained aware that he had to return to the university for his afternoon seminar, and paced himself. It was no surprise however, when Selene declared the bottle empty, and requested that Matthew return the bottle of white wine to they could start on that.

Matthew used his purpose for arranging the meeting to waylay that suggestion.

“Actually, Selene, I have a matter I thought you might have some perspective on.”

“Oh?” Selene said, her interest peaked and successfully distracted from the bottle of wine. “What is that, Mattie?”

Matthew took a deep breath, knowing that this topic was likely to be unpopular with his companion. He hoped she had enough of the champagne to soften her up.

“There is an acquaintance of mine, G, we were brought in from the Wasteland together and have remained in touch,” Selene’s face flickered slightly. “Well, he has been working with the military to determine his mutant ability.”

Selene nodded. “OK. What of it?”

“Some of the methods they are using seem a bit extreme. He is in lasting pain after these sessions.” Selene stood and moved over to the window, which looked down an interior garden, as Matthew spoke. 

“Mattie, they have been doing this for centuries, with great success. I think it is best left in the hands of those who are managing the project.”

“But he shouldn’t be leaving in pain. You must see that.” Matthew pushed back from the table as he said this, but remained sitting. He wanted to maintain an appearance of calm, and not seem too caught up in this issue. Leaning forward slightly in his chair, he rested his elbows on his thighs, using his body language to subtly emphasize his point. Selene looked back at him, and tipped her head in partial agreement.

“It is likely they are getting to the end of their options. A sign that they will give up soon. And your friend will need to resign himself to living in the DownMountain for the rest of his life.” Of course, Selene would see G’s participation as an attempt to move UpMountain. Matthew didn’t try to correct Selene’s assumption. He sat back, suppressing a sigh.

“Well, if that is the case, then that is a relief to me. But, could you reach out to whomever is managing the program, and ask them to back off a bit in this last part of testing? I’m sure they can get the same results without going so far. I mean, they are trying to surprise his mutant ability out of him, not beat it out, right?” He laughed, and was rewarded by an amused smile from Selene as she made her way back to the table. 

“That might be possible, Matthew.” Selene didn’t return to her seat. She was coming straight towards him. Matthew realized that too late. “I’m sure we could work something out.” As she said this, she sat down on his lap and draped her arm around his neck. 

“Selene…,” he said, wondering what was wrong with him. He had gotten into situations like this at parties, and had no difficulty tactfully maneuvering himself away. Now, however, he was frozen. He didn’t want this, but his ability to laugh while he put off her advances failed to materialize. “This isn’t…you know I’m seeing someone…” 

“Mattie,” she started, quietly, her voice soothing, “have you never thought of what we could be together? Me with the Club, you with the Vineyard? We could own this place.”

“I don’t want that.” I don’t want this. His mind still refused to work.

“Fine. You could have your dancing. You could even have her, so long as you kept it quiet, I’d take care of the rest.” She cupped his chin in her hand, resting her thumb on his lips. “We’d show the Lensherrs how royalty is supposed to act. Mattie,” she breathed as her head came close to hers.

Then her lips were on his, and all he wanted to do was cry. He thought he was starting to tremble. What was wrong with him? Finally, he let go of trying to be tactful, and gathering Selene to him, he stood up. She pressed in closer, obviously thinking he had acquiesced. But he didn’t carry her to the door which no doubt led to a bedroom: he took her to the couch at the side of the room and deposited her there. Pulling his face away from hers, he started unwinding her arms from around his neck. She was strong and it took some effort. Her temper was revealed by a brush of cold that touched his skin.

“Selene, I’m not interested,” he said trying to make it firm. She was speaking over him.

“Matthew Summers, you are not thinking this through. This is a bad decision. You will regret this.” She stood once he managed to disengage himself, and stepped close. “What if it is just this afternoon? I promise I won’t ask for more…unless you come to me.” Her tone suggested that he would. Her arms started to go around him again.

“No!” he yelled, startling his companion. He turned away and walked towards the door. His mind grappled to make the scene normal again. “Thank you for lunch. Please think about what I told you.” It came out mechanically, and he cringed when he heard his words. Behind him, Selene swore.

“Eff you, Summers, if you think I’m ever doing anything for you. You’re good for one thing, and it’s about time you got that into your head!” 

He was glad when the door swung shut behind him, but was then assailed with self-recrimination and anxiety about how badly the meeting had ended. He hoped Selene would continue to keep it quiet. She wouldn’t want anyone to know she had been rejected, and he took some comfort in that fact, but it was thin.

Eleni of course picked up on his state of mind when he arrived at the dance studio later that day.

“Mattie, what happened? Did she have the tabloids waiting?”

“No. I think it will stay out of the tabloids. But she won’t help G,” he focused on portraying that as the reason he was so upset. “Dammit! Why won’t she do that? Are these people really so…shallow?” The anger felt good.

Eleni looked at him for a moment.

“What did she do, Matthew?”

“She was a bitch. And that is all that we need to know,” he said with finality. 

“We’ll figure something else out for G,” Eleni murmured, and dropped the topic, though her eyes lingered on him. “Hey, since we’ve basically caught up, Madam P said we can have this Holday morning off. She’s going to do some errands.” They hadn’t had a break since Eleni had become the swan.

“That sounds great,” he said, punctuating each word, as he put his arms around Eleni and leaned his head on her scarf, savoring the spare moments they had before they had to return to dancing. “I’ll be by around 10.” 

He assumed they would spend the morning at the Atrium. However, when he arrived on the morning in question, Eleni suggested they stay in. Madam P was out doing her usual errands. Matthew had found no reason to refuse, and was quite content to hold Eleni on the couch and think about nothing. 

Eleni seemed happy with that agenda as well, and leaned into his chest from where she sat next to him, her legs pulled up beside her. His arms were around her, and one of her hands was resting on his bare skin just up and under his shirt. He found himself ultra-aware of the touch, and not in the way he had been in the past. He had to remind himself that that was normal.

They sat like that with little conversation for a while and everything was ok.

“Matthew, why are they so interested in G?” Eleni asked at one point, breaking a couple minutes of silence. It took him a moment to come out of the half-reverie he’d been in, and understand what Eleni meant.

“His potential is significant.”

“Really?” She sounded like she had expected a different answer.

“Mmm-hm,” he replied, lazily, not wanting to put a lot of effort into anything.

“Potential…this is from Genealogy and Genetics, right? Potential and the actual mutant ability are found in two different places on the genome—so that’s how they can know one but not the other.”

“You’ve been studying,” he observed.

“It is a smart thing to do,” she replied drily. “But, can’t they also identify mutant ability simply by looking at the genome? Like, the ability to freeze things tends to be the same between different people, things like that.”

He shifted slightly, eyes closed, as he replied. 

“Yes, but sometimes the mutation follows no known pattern. In those cases, it is either a known mutation that takes an unfamiliar form or it is a completely new mutation. Or,” he added as an afterthought, “it’s an ability that hasn’t been seen for generations and they don’t have it mapped. Phasing, being able to pass through physical objects like walls, is unmapped because of that.”

Eleni took this in for a minute.

“This sounds terrible, but I’m glad Bright’s grandmother is sick.” Bright’s care for their grandmother continued to keep them DownMountain. After a pause, Eleni added another comment that had clearly been on her mind. “And G did because of me. So, he could come up here.”

Matthew held her tighter for a moment, then relaxed his arm as he spoke.

“He’ll be ok. They aren’t trying to hurt him – they won’t risk damaging someone so powerful. They are just trying to tease his ability out. And apparently it needs quite a bit of teasing.” Matthew hoped that sounded convincing. He wasn’t entirely convinced himself. He continued with something he was confident about. “I don’t think that G would have put himself in that position without a well thought out plan. He knew this was an option long before you were here. He’s done his research.” 

After a pause, Eleni returned to their earlier topic.

“They know the mutation of a person with a blood test as soon as they are born, right?”

“Yup.”

“And the potential?” 

“Mmm-hmm.”

“And G’s potential was enough to turn their heads…but not enough to bring him UpMountain.”

She had a point.

“I don’t know why things happened that way. It might have something to do with Tara…” G's comment that he had had a gun pointed at his face echoed at the back of Matthew's memory, and his heart went cold. They had never wanted the boy.

“Are you sure they’ll stop, Matthew?” Eleni asked. “I don’t get the sense they’ve ever tried to treat him better because of his potential.”

“Well…,” Matthew shifted again and stretched his body to shake off the chill, simultaneously stretching his mind to reclaim some sort of confidence. He opened his eyes, “…overall mutant power level has been declining. They want to reverse that trend.” He stroked Eleni’s arm absently as he responded. She had sat up beside him as he moved.

Their eyes met, and the surprise he saw in hers told him she hadn’t heard that fact before. 

“Really?” Matthew nodded.

“Yeah. Apparently if you had the original Brotherhood here, they would be able to outshine us all. People don’t like to talk about it,” he explained, as he took in her face. In the back of his mind, he noted that he loved just being here with her. The thought warmed him. “Anyway, that’s a large part of why they want to figure out what G can do.”

“And if it is something interesting, they’ll use him.” Matthew didn’t answer that. It hadn’t really been a question.

Eleni lay her head back down, and they sat in silence for another minute, then Eleni spoke again.

“Matthew, do you ever think of leaving?” 

“What? The UpMountain?”

“Or…the Montagne. You have another home out there, somewhere. With the Remnants, maybe. Couldn’t you find them with your powers?”

The thought had never crossed his mind, and now that Eleni had suggested it, his first impulse was revulsion. 

“Elle, the Remnants…well, people call them the Rabbits. Supposedly they live in holes in the ground, literal burrows. And they are way behind in technology and everything. Barely eking out a living. Otherwise, why would there be refugees? It can’t be that good of a life with them. Even with all the shit they do here, I honestly think I’m better off.” 

Eleni looked away, and he sensed she was disappointed.

“It can be a good life for you, too, Elle,” he said quietly. That was something he knew he could give her.

“I don’t know,” was all she said in reply as she dropped her head to his shoulder. 

Silence fell again, but several minutes later Eleni lifted her face and leaned to kiss him. He braced himself; it took him a moment now to get into the activity. He did, and started to enjoy it, though when Eleni’s hands started roaming he had to remind himself to reciprocate.

“We could go upstairs.” They were sideways on the couch at this point, and Matthew kept kissing Eleni’s neck to delay his response. He wondered what had happened to his girlfriend’s reluctance in regards to their physical relationship. 

Her hand pulled his face up to hers. “Matthew, let’s go upstairs…,” she said more insistently. Before their lips could touch, Matthew found himself blurting out a question he knew he had to ask, as awkward as it was.

“Elle, have you had sex before?” Eleni pulled back in surprise at the question, but then disengaged herself slightly as she nodded. 

“I have.”

The relief that flooded through Matthew was almost poignant.

Eleni’s eyes grew sharp.

“Why are you so relieved to hear that?” He opened his eyes, wide.

“Wh-what? I’m not…” She had felt it, there was no way to deny it. He pushed himself up and turned so he was sitting forward on the couch and tried to shrug it off. “I don’t know. Makes things easier, I guess.”

“I thought guys liked being with…women who hadn’t had sex before.” He gave her a strange look, though in truth there was some kind of mystery there for some people. She didn’t let him off the hook. “Not you, though.” 

It wasn’t a question but she expected a response. He shrugged again, resigning himself to the fact that he’d have to explain the relief she had felt at his response.

“I never really thought about it…,” he started, wondering how to continue. He realized distantly that he hadn’t thought about it: that had been the problem. 

Eleni was still looking at him, perplexed. 

“Look, Matthew, if you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t push. But I am curious. You were distinctly relieved when I said that, and now you are embarrassed and…regretful? Hurting?” Concern entered her tone, and he guessed she was thinking his emotions related to their relationship. He sighed his frustration at how the bond had stolen his emotional privacy. Then he sat back and told the story that would get him off the hook.

“I was Jenna’s first, and she was mine. It hurt her. And I felt that.” 

He didn’t like to remember the experience. He had been 15, she 14, too young in retrospect. Everything else they had done had felt so good, so one day they just hadn’t stopped. It had made it even more of a shock to suddenly feel her pain.

“I stopped when I felt her pain, but she wanted me to keep going. Like it was something she had to suffer through. That made it worse for me. It was altogether a bad experience that I don’t want to repeat.” They had almost broken up because Jenna had kept demanding they have sex again, but he hadn’t wanted to hurt her and had continued to refuse. 

His father had noticed the situation between them, and asked him what was wrong. Matthew had eventually opened up. He remembered the look of chagrin on Adam’s face. He had then shared that he and Katyana had had their first experience together as well, but they had taken things slowly, and focused on working up to it. Matthew had wished he had known that.

Eventually Matthew and Jenna had worked things out, slowed things down, and he had been relieved when the pain had passed quickly for her. Then the game had been to figure out how to make her feel as good as he did when they were together. Ironically, it was those good intentions that had led to his salacious reputation.

He chuckled, a bit bitterly, at the memories, but didn’t share them with Eleni. He reached out and took her hand in his, lacing the fingers together. 

“You should get tested. You know, for diseases,” Eleni said. Matthew was nonplussed for a moment before recalling his tryst with Jenna. Eleni was watching him to see his reaction. He sighed. She was right; she would be even if he hadn’t recently had sex with Jenna. It was only wise.

“I will. You should, too.” She looked back at him.

“I know I don’t have any diseases.” 

“But you just told me you’ve had sex. Have you ever been tested?” Eleni was quiet for a minute.

“It was only one person, and he only ever slept with me as well.” Matthew released her hand and pushed his fingers into his hair at her reluctance.

“So, you want me to trust some guy I’ve never met before?” Eleni was silent for a minute. He thought she would ask him to trust her, but to his surprise, she didn’t.

“I don’t want to give anyone my blood.” Ah, that.

“It’s anonymous.” Eleni’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you sure?”

“You just smear some blood on a card, and there are a few swabs as well, then you drop it off – there are discrete locations. The card has a number. You call after a couple of days, enter the number and hear the results. It is all automated.”

Eleni considered that for a moment.

“Even though it is anonymous, do they test for anything else?” Matthew shook his head.

“They aren’t supposed to, and I don’t think it is an area where they waste resources on extraneous testing because everyone is already covered. They really want to keep STD’s down because they are a threat to the population growth, so it’s a quick and dirty, but effective, test. I think it is safe.”

After another moment of thought, Eleni nodded.

“OK. I’ll do it.” 

“That leaves birth control,” Matthew added. She shook her head.

“That’s taken care of. I have something in me that prevents pregnancy.” His brow furrowed.

“From the Citadel?” She nodded. A few more questions revealed that she had a copper IUD.

Matthew felt a mixture of relief with a touch of dread in the aftermath of the conversation. He quickly pushed the feelings away, and put his arm around Eleni, but pulled her to him so that her back was against his chest. 

“I’d like it to be special,” he murmured. “We could go up to the vineyard for a night. When the ballet is over, say…” He pressed his cheek against her scarf. 

“Matthew…that might just make it awkward. If we get to that place…let’s just let it happen.” 

Matthew nodded against her scarf, humming in agreement. He had put it off for today, and they were so busy moments like this were rare. Hopefully, by the time it happened, he would feel a bit more excited about the prospect of having sex with Eleni.

**CITADEL 2031.03.08**

**DAVE**

“So, Thursday?” Sanida asked quietly as she and Dave exited the large stone building where their lecture had been held and onto the green quad at the center of the university campus. Dave glanced around to make sure no one was walking close to them.

“Works for me.” It was the day of their next planned meet and greet. It was the third they had held. “You know, these are really popular, and we’re getting new people every time. And people are asking how long until the next one.” They didn’t announce the meetings until a couple days ahead of time. At these meetings, they had met close to 100 people at these meetings. Adding in the families they had met who hadn’t been able to attend the small meetings, between Dave, Sanida and Natal, they had come in direct contact with approximately 175 people.

“It’s good progress,” Sanida replied evenly. 

“And, we keep getting requests for something more…energized.” Sanida sighed. At their last meeting with Natal, she had finally admitted that she was also getting questions about a rally. She had phrased it as an accusation, suggesting that Dave had mentioned such an event to people who came to the meet and greets. He had honestly been able to deny that.

“Dave, they don’t understand the risk. They just want to see something that they equate with forward movement, but it isn’t really movement and could just set us back.”

“If we are careful, and we would be careful, it won’t go beyond that event, but it will inspire people. And show them we are committed.”

“They know we are committed through the meet and greets,” Sanida replied, slightly annoyed.

“Sani, we know how slow going this is going to be, now. We need to keep them motivated!” In their research about the city-wide referendum he and Sanida hoped to use to put mutant-amnesty to a vote, they had discovered a special set of hurdles and carefully hidden barriers. The seemingly straightforward petition was actually quite difficult to carry out. 

When Sanida didn’t respond, Dave opened his mouth to make a more persuasive argument, but then realized she was focused on something else. “What is it?”

“That’s disgusting.”

“What?” he said, following her line of sight.

“Across the quad, in front of the library.” After a moment of searching, his eyes caught on a familiar costume: a plaid skirt and dark blue sweater over a button-down shirt. In spite of the distance between them, Dave recognized the head topped with brown hair. Heather was walking, arm in arm with a college upper-classmen.

“Last time it was Dai Kim. That’s Clive Drucker if I’m right.”

“Last time?” Sanida looked at him.

“She’s been here a lot. And always in her school uniform.” The look turned hard. “Do I need to spell it out for you, Kelly?”

His own run-in with Heather in the fall flashed through his mind. The fact that she had been in her uniform hadn’t stuck him as strange, at the time.

“It’s after school. We always hung out in our uniforms.” Sanida just shook her head.

“Not if you were going on a date.” Dave shifted uncomfortably. Both Corella and Heather had preferred to change out of their uniforms if they were going anywhere other than the arcades, and had usually urged him to do the same. “Although, that isn’t exactly ‘date’, either.” 

Dave glanced once more over to where Heather was walking in time to see her disappear behind the corner of a building.

“We don’t know that,” he muttered, but things he had heard about Heather back in school hovered uncomfortably on the edge of his mind. He pushed them away.

Sanida just looked at him, but then thankfully changed the topic.

“Eresh wants to be involved. Natal’s been trying to change his mind, but I say we can use anyone we can get. Is that ok with you?”

“I’d like to get to know him a bit better. What does he know?"

“Not much. He already knew I was involved with the Network, and just thinks it’s an extension of that.” Dave opened his mouth to point out a deficit, but Sanida spoke over him. “He’s sympathetic, I know that. I’ll set up a meeting for us sometime. Probably at my place, he lives in Bloc 6, and I live near the edge, so it’s closer for him.”

“Ok. That’s where you’re headed today, right? Bloc 6?”

“Yeah. And you’re going to 3?"

“Yup.” 

With that, they parted ways at the first intersection outside of the university, which was sprawled over the border between Blocs 1 and 2. He had a pleasant walk to Bloc 3 to look forward to, but Sanida would need to get a trolley for the trek across the central Bloc of the city for hers. 

Dave Kelly turned west onto one of the Citadel’s main shopping boulevards. He could have exited through the west campus gate for a more direct route, but the conversation with Sanida had been worth the detour. He walked lost in thought, not seeing the shops and activity around him.

“Dave!” In his distracted state, the familiar voice caught him off guard, though this time he recognized it immediately. He looked up to see Christian standing just a few feet ahead of him. 

“How are you?” The man asked as he approached.

“Fine. Yourself?”

“Good.” 

“You off work today?”

“Running an errand.” The conversation dropped off.

Christian examined the younger man, and Dave found the gaze irritating. When Dave had returned to the office after the end of his relationship with Corella, Christian hadn’t resumed his big-brotherly attitude. Distracted by other things, Dave hadn’t thought about it much at the time, but it seemed whatever was bothering the man persisted. 

Dave opened his mouth to excuse himself. The situation was already awkward, so an awkward exit couldn’t hurt it more.

“You know, we thought we’d see you at the office a bit more,” Christian spoke suddenly.

“Yeah, well, I’ve been busy.” The older man gave Dave a level look.

“They were important to us, too. And your father. This has hit him really hard. He relied on Katherine for so much. And he loved Elle and did his best by her.” 

“Why do you care?” Dave snapped, feeling that his father had done no such thing. 

“I work for the man and I support what he fights for! And he’s created a tight team. We look out for one another, and that means him, too.” Christian looked to the side for a moment, and Dave thought he saw the man blink. “This has been eating him up inside, Dave. We all see it. A little sympathy on your part would go a long way.”

Dave felt the old anger rise up in him again, but it was somehow blunted now. Christian had gone back to watching his face closely.

“You should feel guilty,” the man said. “You can’t just go around hurting people so you can feel better about yourself! I should have taken you aside when you waltzed back in after dating that Humanist!” Christian swore, and looked away again. “I assumed Eleni had gotten it through your thick skull how cruel you’d been, since she apparently forgave you. But I might have taught you a lesson. Maybe then, you wouldn’t still be acting like such a selfish prick!”

The words hit Dave in the gut, and he grappled for that time in his memory sure he would find evidence that they were wrong.

_Starting the day after Eleni was attacked, Dave waited for her outside the school, and walked with her to his father’s office building. Or, walked two steps behind, as she was determined to not acknowledge his presence. He didn’t let it get to him. No one attacked her, and she arrived safely every day. That was all that mattered._

_Zach was absent the day after he tried to pull Eleni into the building. When he returned the next day, it was to some distress among the student body: he had apparently stepped on a nail, and it had gone quite deep. There was some worry that the injury might keep him from playing when the season started in a few weeks. The man was a decent basketball player; everyone wished him a speedy recovery._

_Everyone except Dave._

_“Stay away from her,” he muttered to his classmate when he saw the man lounging outside the school the morning after his return. Watching the entrance to the girl’s academy. _

_“Mind your own business, Kelly.”_

_“She is my business.”_

_“Suit yourself,” the larger man sneered at him. Dave wanted to pick a fight, but his father had warned him against a confrontation. Zach’s father was fairly high up in the military. If Dave stepped out of line with Zach and was found accountable, Robert Kelly would have little power to shield him from repercussions such as expulsion. _

_ “We can’t lose you now, Dave,” Robert had said, pacing in his office. “You are able to look out for Elle in a way her mother and I cannot.” _

_ His revulsion at the thought of abandoning Eleni again was what helped Dave keep his temper in check. He instead walked a short distance, then sat waiting to see Eleni arrive so he could ensure she entered the building unmolested._

_ Shan Pembok arrived a few minutes later, and Dave groaned internally. The man couldn’t stop himself from crowing over Dave’s supposed loss of Corella._

_ “Regretting it yet, Kelly? Losing a woman who was far better than you; far better than you deserved! I knew you’d screw it up,” the man hissed in his face. Dave ignored him, and stared resolutely out onto the courtyard. Zach, hearing the comment, looked back and grimaced to see Dave there. His eyes followed Shan into the building, then he also stared back out into the courtyard, greeting friends as they arrived._

_ Eleni arrived a minute later, and Dave was relieved that Zach made no move to go meet her, though he did watch her enter. Then he stood up and swung into the boys’ school on crutches, smiling nastily at Dave as he passed._

_ Zach didn’t watch for Eleni in the morning again after that. Dave rushed out each afternoon to be there when she came out, then walked with her, or a step behind her as she kept moving away from him when he tried to walk beside her, all the way to his father’s office. She refused to talk to him and they walked in silence. Once the law exam prep course started, he often had to rush back to school after._

_ As it was, it was a couple weeks before Dave found the courage, and had the time, to stay at the office building after walking Eleni there. He reflected sadly that it had been nearly a year since the last time he had done that. _

_ As they had done for years, he sat at the same table with Eleni doing homework. The staff came by welcoming him back, remarking on how much he’d grown and telling him they’d missed him. Nearly all seemed glad to see him again, though some expressed some disdain about his recent choices._

_ “Hey, Elle. What are you working on?”_

_ “Just some calculus.” Christian made a sound of disgust._

_“Let me know when you get to history, and I’ll help you with that.” It was an old joke. The man looked at Dave, and he prepared himself for some similar joviality._

_“Welcome back to the land of the sane.” The man’s smile had disappeared and he stayed standing beside Eleni. _

_ “Hi Christian,” Dave responded cordially. “And how have you been?” _

_ “Same old, same old. Too bad I can’t say the same for you.” Dave didn’t respond. Christian glanced down at Eleni. “Elle, we should challenge him to a game of poker for real cash. We’d fleece him.” Eleni simply hummed in return, not bothering to look up. She hadn’t greeted Dave when he arrived. “Elle and I have gotten quite good at poker in your absence.”_

_ With that comment, and a subtle emphasis on the last word, the man reiterated his offer of help on Eleni’s homework and moved back to his desk. Dave bent to his work, annoyed and ashamed._

_Eleni continued to act like he wasn’t there. _

_It was an early night for the staff, and Eleni and her mom left to go home for dinner once the work day was done. Dave felt dejected, but resolutely focused on his homework until his father finished his own work. _

__

__

_ Dave started heading to the office building after his prep course, in hopes of catching a night when Eleni and her mother stayed late. It was a week before such a night occurred. Once the work day ended, Eleni got up and went into the conference room. Katherine exited the room about a half hour later, and that was when Dave got up went in._

_ He walked slowly across the back of the room towards the overturned tables on the far side, watching Eleni dance as he went. He had missed her dancing, and soaked it up as he went. This piece of choreography was impossibly light, flowing, and delicate. He was entranced, and never took his eyes from her as he slid into his spot against the table. If Eleni noticed him, she gave no indication. He suspected he was in for weeks of waiting again._

_ To his surprise, however, she came and sat beside him after practicing the piece a few more times. _

_She took a drink from her water bottle and stared straight ahead._

_ “Are you doing ok, after the…what Zach did?” _

_She just looked at him for a moment._

_“You mean, trying to pull me into a building most likely so that he could force himself on me?” Dave’s face reddened, but Eleni just nodded and continued. “More or less. It was frightening.” She admitted, and he agreed._

_ “It’s really scary, Elle. To think of him hurting you.” She looked straight ahead._

_ “I’m getting some self-defense classes. A teacher from your kick boxing school, actually.” Dave was relieved to hear that, though he rarely went now. During the year with Corella, he had developed an interest in more practical hand-to-hand combat, and now did mixed martial arts when he had the time. _

_“Did you step on his foot then?” Crushing someone’s instep with your heel was an effective self-defense move._

_ “No, he really did step on something, thank goodness. If I fought him…I think it would have made things worse.” He’d heard that before._

_ “Elle, I don’t know about that. You need to defend yourself.”_

_ “I will,” she reassured him._

_ “But, letting yourself get dragged into a building first and then fighting back is not a good strategy.”_

_“There were people around,” she muttered. “If it looked like I was fighting, I would have been the found in the wrong.”_

_ ‘There were people around.’ He scrubbed at his head in frustration. There were also camera’s around the city. Maybe they could have proved that she was defending herself. He made a note to ask his father about that later._

_ He leaned his head back against the table, and was quiet for a minute composing himself. There was a lot more he intended to say. She started to get up to dance again._

_ “Eleni, wait.” She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, hesitated, then sat back down._

_ “I’m sorry for this past year. For everything. I thought I was going to make things easier and better, but I just made a big mess. And I hurt you. I know that, and I’m so sorry. If I had stopped after Heather, it might not have been so bad, but…” But you walked away from me. He pushed the thought from his head. Yes, her actions had been petty and hurtful, but his response had been the same and much worse. “…dating Corella was the wrong thing to do.” _

_He laughed mirthlessly, looking down in shame. “I thought I could make people forget the first mess I created, and Corella wouldn’t be all over me like Heather was, so it had seemed like a logical solution at the time.” He looked straight at Eleni for the next part. “I ignored the fact that it went against everything I believed. And I was using her. I used Heather for that matter. It was…disgusting of me. But, Corella…was probably the worst choice I could have made. And,” he took a deep breath, “…it must have felt like I was completely abandoning you. I wasn’t. I missed you the whole time. I am so sorry.”_

_Eleni had bowed her head as she listened. She now lifted it and leaned it back against the table. She was quiet for a long minute, but occasionally glanced at Dave. He waited._

_“It’s in the past,” she said finally, with a sigh. He understood. She would never be ok with what had happened, she would never accept it, but she wouldn’t make an issue of it. He let out a controlled breath. He wasn’t done._

_ “And the future?” he asked quietly, not taking his eyes from her._

_ “Dave, we have no future together.” She looked away as she said this, refusing to meet his gaze. He was taken aback. He had never imagined such a bleak response. He wouldn’t accept it._

_ “Eleni, the whole time I was doing all this stupid stuff, the only person I could think of was you.” _

_ “That’s a lie, Dave,” she cut in. “You had no problem thinking about yourself.”_

_ He breathed in sharply. _

_“You’re right,” he exhaled, and fought off the hopelessness that threatened to descend. He had to get her back. “You’re right. But it doesn’t change the fact that I missed you so much it was painful. Talking with you, watching you dance, holding you.” He whispered the last, and looked at her. She was staring forward, her eyes distant. He pushed on._

_“I know I wasn’t there for you when you needed me, but I want to be there now. I could rip Zach’s throat out for what he has done!” _

_Eleni turned her head away and made a sound of disgust. Dave cursed, and let his head fall back against the table, at a loss._

_“You know, before the trying to rape me bit, he was nicer to me than you were.”_

_Dave didn’t know what to make of that._

_“But he wasn’t leaving you alone,” he pointed out._

_“Neither are you.” _

_She started to get up again, and Dave caught her hand, rejecting any comparison between himself and Zach._

_“Elle, please, give me another chance.”_

_“Dave, there are next to no reasons for us to be together. And there are plenty of very good reasons for us not to.” _

_In spite of her words, she didn’t walk away, and he continued to hold on to her hand. She hadn’t said there were no reasons at all. He didn’t think, he just spoke._

_“Being with you is unlike being with anyone else, I know that now. When we are together, everything is right. It’s always been that way, even before…us, but ‘us’ makes it even more…” More what, he couldn’t say, but he knew well the poignancy of its absence. “And I know it’s the same for you. How’s that for a reason? Are you going to walk away from something most people only ever dream of having?” _

_She looked down at him then, her forehead wrinkling as she absorbed his words._

_“I love you,” he said, defenseless. He held her eyes, but then her head snapped up to look towards one of the doorways. Instinctively, Dave jerked his hand away._

_Eleni had spotted someone walking by the far door. Sure enough, Robert Kelly stuck his head in the near door a moment later. _

_“Glad to see you two are talking again.” There was a suffering tone to the comment, but the man was smiling. He left and continued on down the hall._

_Dave breathed out at the near miss, and then mentally cursed his father for derailing the powerful moment. When he looked up at Eleni her face was turned towards the windows and away from him._

_“I’ll think about it,” was all she said. Then, she walked away to resume her dancing. She danced until her mother came to take her home._

_ Walking home with his father that night, Dave brought up the idea he had hit upon while talking with Eleni._

_“Dad, could we see if a camera caught Zach trying to pull Elle into that building? She’s worried that if she fights back, she’ll be seen as the guilty party.” His father sighed heavily._

_ “She’s probably right.” The man thought for a moment. “It might not be that easy….but, it is a good idea. Some hard proof might help if it should come to that...” Robert Kelly paused. “I’ll see what I can do.”_

_ Dave continued to walk Eleni from school, and she continued to be reticent though she did deign speak to him sometimes. She made no reference to their conversation, his declaration or his challenge. He tried not to lose hope._

_ On a warm October day two weeks later, Eleni had her sleeves pushed up because of the heat, and, as they walked on the main boulevard to his father’s office, Dave caught a glint of silver on her left wrist. He caught his breath, and, not thinking, reached out and caught her left wrist, staring at his bracelet. Eleni kept her wits about her, and disengaged her hand from his._

_ “I finally found it,” she said causally, as if providing an explanation. His mind started working again. They were in the middle of the sidewalk with people all around._

_ “I’m glad. I knew you were missing it,” he replied, happiness expanding in his chest. Eleni glanced over at him, a glint in her eye at his double meaning, and he just grinned._

_ When he returned to the office building later that afternoon, he found Eleni studying at the desks._

_ “I know you have a lot of studying to do for your law exams,” she said after they greeted each other. He could barely contain his happiness and was impatient for more time with her. He hoped she’d dance later, “the far conference room is open, and will be quieter than here.” He blinked, then understood._

_ It was the day before a Holday. It was a night their parents would sequester themselves in the suite of rooms that included his father’s private office._

_ “Thanks. I will. Talk later?” She nodded and with a small smile, bent back to her work._

_Three hours later, he heard a soft knock from the lounge door that opened into the room he was studying in. He packed up all his books but one, and left his bag there so it looked like he had just taken a short break. Then he entered the lounge._

_Locking the door quietly behind him, he found Eleni standing out the window, looking out onto the darkened Citadel as if she reigned over that mass of void and light._

_He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her slender form. She leaned back into him, then turned in his arms. They kissed for the first time in over a year, and Dave felt a pressure release in his chest.  
Reaching down she took his hand and together they turned away from the darkness beyond._

Yes, he acknowledged, coming out of the memory, he had caused some hurt. He had known that. Eleni had taken him back. He used this fact as some sort of shield against Christian’s onslaught. He found it to be a weak defense.

“Look, Elle for--.” No, she hadn’t forgiven him. Why hadn’t that made a difference before? “She moved beyond that, and I was helping. Anyway, this is different. I wasn’t the man sitting at the top, pulling the strings on Eleni’s life, and then failing to help her when she most needed it!”

“You weren’t? Yeah, I heard about you walking her from school. Very chivalrous. Until you were gone, and then where did that leave her?!”

“My father--.”

“Your father looks after the welfare for this entire city! Yes, he missed something, but can you blame him for that with all he has done? Maybe you could have done a bit more than the bit of exercise it took you to walk five blocks! You could have taken on more responsibility! It wouldn’t have been that hard!” 

_I am now!_ Dave wanted to yell, but they had attracted a small audience.

“It’s an old argument,” Christian apologized to the crowd. He looked back at Dave. “Think about that. And maybe, finally, you’ll grow up.”

With that, Christian turned and walked away.

“Are you ok? He nearly lost it there.” A kind hand touched his arm. Dave nodded distractedly.

“Yeah. It’s an old argument between us,” he echoed. “Thanks anyway.” The person moved away and the small crowd dissipated. Dave scanned them as they left. He didn’t think there had been any reporters in the crowd, not that an argument between himself and one of his father’s staffers would be that big of a scandal.

Dave started to walk on, though it felt like he was moving through a thick wall. He couldn’t move beyond their argument, and a sinking feeling that his defenses, even the one he hadn’t been able to say out loud, were pitiful.

Christian didn’t know all the facts, Dave told himself. He didn’t know what had happened at the end. And he didn’t know how much Dave loved Eleni.

Dave found himself pressing his thumb against the ring on his right hand, but this time it provided no consolation. In that moment it was nothing but a band of metal, an empty gesture to make himself feel better.

Tears hovered, but a numbness kept them at bay, just as it had kept the guilt at bay, all this time. He spent the rest of his way trying to maintain his composure, as the realization that Christian was right slowly seeped past his defenses.


	27. Chapter 26

**MATTHEW**

“Again!” Matthew shifted back across the stage in response to the sharp command from Master Trenaw. Breathing deeply to prepare for another run through, he waited until everyone was in place. They were doing the birthday scene, and Matthew hoped that Master Trenaw would be happy with this next pass, as they had already repeated the choreography several times. 

No such luck. They did four more takes before the man dismissed them, and even then he didn’t seem pleased. 

“Summers, be sure to practice that on your own,” the teacher snapped as Matthew walked near. The man offered no critique as to on what exactly Matthew should focus. 

Irritated, the dancer scanned the auditorium for Adam, hoping to get some valid feedback, but the man was nowhere in sight, though he had been there a few minutes earlier. Matthew left the large room to find him. 

The ballet was only a little more than a month away, and Matthew felt the pressure of that in his daily life. Dance practice was punctuated by classes, meals, a few minutes alone with Eleni here and there, some school work and sleep. These were the sum of his days, and while he knew Eleni found some frustration with the situation, he found the routine a source of solace. Further, as the time passed, the derision around him had softened to a bitter indifference. He walked through much of his public life as if he were a visitor who didn’t really belong there, but he held his head high, focused on what mattered and tried to avoid the rest. Until he couldn’t, and then he dealt with it as best he could. 

In the hallway, he ran into Madelyn Frost. 

They hadn’t spoken since the incident with Jenna. In fact, Matthew had avoided the woman, which the ballet had made easy to do: he hadn’t worked with her since rehearsals had begun. He nodded politely and made to move on, but she began to speak and his stomach clenched. They were alone in the hall. 

“Mattie. A moment please.” Matthew stopped, and he steeled himself against some sort of emotional erosion. She had remained respectful and even-mannered towards him even after his break-up with Jenna and all the drama of the last few months. Nonetheless, there was only one reason he could think of that she would want to speak with him, and she proved him correct. 

“I know what Jenna did was wrong. She does, too. But you and I know that’s not really her. She made a terrible choice.” He opened his mouth to object, and the older woman spoke quickly to clarify, green eyes beseeching. “I’m not asking you to go back to how things were. You are committed to Eleni, and that is that. But…you and Jenna were very close and very important to each other. That’s rare. I just want to suggest that…you think about giving your friendship another chance at some point.” 

Matthew felt slightly ill. He didn’t want to be hearing these words. 

“Madelyn, I can’t—” 

“Mattie, I don’t mean today, or tomorrow. When you are ready. If you don’t…there will be a point in the future where you will regret not reaching out.” How could this woman say this to him after what her daughter had done? “Look, I know this conversation is odd, but I speak from experience.” She didn’t, of that Matthew was positive. 

“I was looking for my father,” he managed. He had to get away from this person. 

Madelyn looked at him a moment before answering, and he wondered if she regretted her words. 

“He was in the office a moment ago.” 

“Thanks.” Matthew bolted. 

Adam looked up as he entered the office. 

“Everything ok?” 

“I just had a bizarre conversation with Madelyn. It wasn’t even a conversation, she just said some stuff…” He found himself hesitating, realizing his father wasn’t a person with whom he felt comfortable breaching this topic. His time with his father had also been limited over the past few weeks, though Matthew hadn’t put much thought into it. 

“What stuff?” Adam asked. “Mattie?” he prompted when his son didn’t answer. 

“Um…,” Matthew found he couldn’t mention that it had been about Jenna, “…something about friendships being important.” 

Adam scrunched his forehead a bit, but nodded. 

“I know what she was talking about, but why was she saying that to you? What was the context?” 

Matthew shrugged, glad his father hadn’t put Madelyn’s intentions together. The last thing he needed was for his father to echo those sentiments. “I don’t know. It was just weird. What was she talking about anyway?” 

“Katyana,” Adam said, and Matthew wished he hadn’t asked. “They were best friends, and Maddie’s never found another friend like that.” The man hummed sadly. “You don’t know what you’ve got until its gone.” This topic needed to end. 

“Yeah. Um, Master Trenaw was giving me some shit about my performance, but no details. You were in there, right? What did you think?” 

“That man is full of it, that’s what I think,” Adam scoffed. “There’s no way he’ll have me on staff for next year’s performance, and I can’t say I’m disappointed about that.” The man looked at his son, his grin almost wicked. “I’m happy to help you out, however.” 

So it was that Matthew was having his performance dissected when Eleni came in the office. 

“…and on that second promenade, you look like a peacock strutting across the stage. You know Madam P is not looking for that style…Elle, hi! Do you need something?” 

“Hey there!” Matthew said, standing. Then he saw blood on her leg and spoke as Adam exclaimed in dismay. “What happened?!” 

“Juli,” she mouthed to Matthew, while Adam turned to get the first aid kit out of a cupboard. 

Juli, another dancer, had the ability to grow an exoskeleton of obsidian. Coupled with that was an impressive ability limit the growth to specific parts of her body and determine its size and, somewhat, its shape. Matthew had no doubt that the woman had brushed by Eleni on purpose. 

“Let’s see,” Adam said as he opened the kit. He made a dismayed sound as he peered at the cut, about an inch long and deep enough that it couldn’t pass for a scratch. “What did this? There should be nothing this sharp in the studios.” Eleni shrugged. “Well, we’ll have to have the rooms thoroughly checked.” 

Matthew watched as his father handed a cleaning wipe and bandage to Eleni and wondered at the man’s complete ignorance. For a moment it was like they lived in two different worlds, Adam’s blissful bubble of non-experience contrasting sharply with Eleni’s old and Matthew’s new wariness of a world not to be trusted. 

“Dad, it was Juli,” he said, and he caught and held the look Eleni shot at him. 

“Juli Smith?” Adam’s brow furrowed. “She wouldn’t do something like this, would she?” The man looked to Eleni for confirmation.< 

Eleni had dropped her eyes, and was staring at the first aid kit. Flicking one more glance at Matthew, she nodded. 

Adam sat back and shook his head. “Are you sure you are not mistaken?” 

Matthew saw Eleni swallow, and realized the position he had put her in. 

“She brushed by me, and then I looked down and my leg was bleeding.” The bald facts. But no one to back them up. Adam sighed out, clearly struggling with what to do.  
“It must have been some kind of mistake. I’ll talk to her.” 

“Please don’t,” Eleni rushed to say, and Matthew’s stomach took a small southward plunge. He agreed that that wouldn’t be good. 

And yet, he was also dismayed when Adam seemed relieved. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yes.” 

“OK. Let me know if you change your mind,” and Adam turned to replacing the items he had removed from the kit. 

“I will. What is that?” The question was rushed, and Matthew knew it was because Eleni was flustered due to the exchange they had just had. Why had he pushed that topic, he asked himself. What point had he been trying to prove? His conversation with Madelyn flashed through his mind, and he felt worse. He should have known better. 

He tried to flash a glance of apology at Eleni, but she was staring at the kit Adam was reassembling. 

“What?” Adam responded, oblivious to the emotional undertows in the room. Matthew drew a logical conclusion in an attempt to actually help Eleni. 

“Never seen a first aid kit before?” he teased. Eleni flashed him a look of annoyance laced with relief. She pointed. 

“That…tube. It’s in something…” Matthew and Adam identified the item in question at the same time, and Adam reached down to take it out. It was a syringe, with the top covered by a large, blunt tip. The barrel was mostly hidden by a device with a trigger. 

“Well, I suppose it’s a good thing that you’ve never seen the emergency tranquilizers,” Adam said wryly. 

“Tranquilizers?” Eleni looked confused. 

“To knock someone out in case their mutant ability goes crazy…or they do.” 

“Oh…so that’s where they keep them. I thought it was something the Grey Arms kept stocked by the train station,” Eleni joked, but Matthew knew she was trying to cover for her lack-of-knowledge. 

“They might distribute them differently DownMountain,” Adam commented as he returned the device and closed the kit. He had taken her quip seriously. 

“Why would they do that, Dad?” Matthew pressed a pointed question to his father’s pat conclusion. 

“More people. Less organization.” These were distracted mumbles as the man reached up to return the kit to its proper place. Matthew stared; the man didn’t even realize his prejudice as he cast doubt on the ability of the DownMountain population to function independently. 

Matthew had the fleeting feeling that he was being pushed under by ignorance that was vicious in deed; a silent but constant onslaught, and he traced it back to his conversation with Madelyn. No, Trenaw’s comment. 

No…it had started long before that. His thoughts scattered as he started to comprehend a vastness of which, somehow, he himself had managed to remain ignorant. 

Breathing deeply, he glanced at the clock. It was only a half hour until afternoon rehearsals ended. 

“Hey, Dad, do you think Madam P would mind if we stepped out now?” 

Adam shook his head and gestured towards Eleni’s leg. 

“I’ll let her know what happened to Eleni’s leg. And that I’ll work on your promenades after dinner.” 

Matthew growled in dislike as his father left the room. 

“Are you ok?” Eleni asked quietly. 

“Yeah, I just had a couple run-in’s,” he answered, not wanting to talk about it here. “See you in the kitchen.” He kissed her and they separated to change. 

10 minutes later they were entering Madam P’s through the back entrance. When Eleni moved toward the living room, Matthew went to the cupboard and started getting dishes out. 

“Let’s start setting the table. It’s going to be a long night for me. I asked Adam for help, and now he’s going to dedicate the evening to rehabilitating my dancing.” Eleni laughed, though she hesitated before heading to the cold cupboard to start getting the food ready. 

They didn’t talk much at first, but a few minutes in Matthew made a comment. 

“Sometimes, you just don’t want to hear what they might say.” Eleni paused, then nodded when she realized what he was referring to. 

“Yeah. Is that what got you in there?” 

“That, and there was something else, similar. I’m sorry about pushing the issue with Adam. I don’t know…I guess I expected more from him.” She shrugged. 

“It’s not really his fault.” 

“Why not?” 

“It’s the world he knows. He’s going to defend it, because who he is depends upon it.” Matthew blinked. 

“That’s awfully philosophical. You been talking with G about this stuff?” Eleni laughed quietly as she pushed a stack of carrot slices into a bowl. Matthew was picking through dried beans for tomorrow’s dinner. 

“No. But growing up, there was a group of people who were sympathetic with me, with the position I was in. To a point.” 

“To a point?” 

“When I would try to suggest something…outside the realm of possibility…they became very uncomfortable and would pull back. Once I told one of them I wanted to become a doctor. But they looked nervous all of a sudden, and said, ‘you just focus on your dancing.’” Eleni fell silent. 

“You think Adam would do something similar if I tried to push him? Say, about Juli?” 

“He might. I think he would probably offer you alternatives, but be reluctant to directly confront the issue. But he’s ‘one of the good ones’, as G would say.” Matthew smiled and agreed. He thought Adam would do more if he knew the whole situation. Eleni didn’t know the man as he did. Specifically, she didn’t know how he did his best not to shy away from the ugly parts inside of himself, but Matthew wasn’t going to share that story with her. 

“Would it hurt to try? He might be able to see the real issue if he knew more,” he asked instead. 

“Trying is…exhausting. You have to be prepared to take the burden onto yourself.” She stared down at her carrots. “And…sometimes it takes time or timing to get them to really understand, sometimes it takes something else. It’s not really something you can orchestrate.” 

“It feels wrong. To just let it go.” 

“Maybe, but its self-preservation.” She cast him a tired, but unapologetic look. 

“But it will change nothing.” 

“And tell me, Matthew, have you ever thought of what it would take to change the entire structure of a society? It’s fundamental beliefs? Every person is a brick in that wall, and to really make change you’d have to change the mind of all of them. Maybe you would do that for us?” She flashed a bitter grin at her dark suggestion, but deep frustration and anger resonated through the bond, and Matthew sensed Eleni struggled to control herself after the uncharacteristic outburst. He had hit a nerve. “And…I know I could be just the same.” 

Matthew stopped sorting in confusion and surprise. 

“What do you mean?” 

“People create groups. That feeling of belonging is essential to most people. And there is good there. When you have a group you belong to. But you have to define the outsiders in order to have insiders, and I am no different in that.” 

“I don’t think you are like that. You are being awfully generous to people who are cruel to you.” Matthew pointed out. 

Eleni sighed, and tried again. 

“Like…,” she hesitated before going on, “…when I met Bright, I was…I thought something must be wrong with them. That was my initial reaction. It was the same when you told me there were people here who transitioned. It was…difficult to talk to Bright at first. Avoiding them would have been easier.” 

“But you are friends now.” 

“Yes. I asked them why they were the way they were. And they said…,” Eleni stopped here, realizing what she was about to do. Matthew understood. 

“You know this won’t go beyond me.” Eleni considered him for a moment before continuing. 

“…they said, that when they were little, before they were non-binary, much of their life felt…wrong to them. Like it was an act. Or a lie.” Eleni stared at the carrots again. “I understood that, and that helped me connect with them…but if I hadn’t…would I have been any different from Adam? I would have been clinging to the world as I had known it, and not allowed it to be challenged. That’s how most people live. In their happy little worlds.” She laughed softly. “All those normal people. I sometimes wonder what their lives are like.” 

“You’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this,” Matthew commented after taking a minute to digest her thoughts. She looked up her eyes flat. 

“I’ve had a lot of time to think about it.” 

Matthew looked at Eleni as she bent back to slicing. 

“You know, you could be a doctor now,” he pointed out a minute later. He pushed aside the memory of Adam’s reaction to his suggestion that Eleni could go to university. 

Eleni shook her head. 

“That was a childish thing. I was very young, and I just said it because there was someone in my life who was a doctor, and thought what they did was amazing.” 

“But…you can. There’s nothing stopping you.” She looked up. Then she shook her head again. 

“I have my dancing. That’s enough.” 

The conversation fell into a lull, and before long Madam P and Adam joined them and they spoke of other things. 

The next day as they walked from school, Matthew’s message mote buzzed. 

“It’s G,” he murmured, then he frowned. “He says he needs to be picked up at the military academy.” Through the bond Eleni’s worry reflected his own. As they turned to the nearest close car station to make their way south where the academy was located, Eleni texted Madam P explaining the situation. 

They found G, sitting on a bench outside the gates. He looked terrible. 

“Hey,” he said weakly as they sat on either side of him. 

“G, what’s wrong?” Matthew demanded 

“They got a bit frustrated today, I guess. Upped the trigger threshold. I suggested that maybe a discussion of psychology would be more effective, but they didn’t agree.” Even in his clearly pained state, he joked. 

“Do you think anything is broken?” Eleni asked sitting next to him, concern emanating from her. 

“No,” G replied clearly, “just feel like I got beat up.” Eleni’s eyes flashed, and anger and pain flared through the bond. Matthew saw tears in her eyes. He himself was shocked and angry. He couldn’t avoid the truth that they were doing this on purpose; debilitating pain was not part of the testing. 

Matthew sent a quick message to Adam sketching out that G was hurt and would stay with them that night. Then they got their friend up and started on their way. 

Matthew wanted to take G to the hospital, but the man refused. 

“I don’t want to deal with how they’ll treat me,” he said. “Anyway, I know I’m not injured. it’s just a matter of waiting until the pain fades.” The man had one arm around Matthew and one around Eleni, and it felt like he could barely hold his own weight. They started to make their slow way home, G trying to lighten the mood with his usual, if pained, antics. 

On their way they came across a vacant rickshaw, and decided to take that through the Atrium instead of using the closed cars. 

“All hail the armchair,” G muttered when they were about halfway through the massive garden. Matthew looked to their left to see the Throne visible in the distance. “So, that’s where she sat.” 

“Who?” 

“What?” Eleni and Matthew’s questions came at the same time, but Matthew realized what G was referring to first and provided the answer to Eleni’s question. “Oh, Polaris Reborn.” 

Uncertainty lingered on Eleni’s face, and confusion in the bond, for a moment before she cleared it and looked back to the left. Matthew realized she probably didn’t know how the history tied into the Throne, so he continued as if in response to G’s comment. 

“Yeah. That’s where she took her followers. And then she sat on it. And sat…and sat…” 

“…until they came for her,” Eleni finished, clearly having filled in gaps. 

“The world owes her a great debt.” G’s voice was barely above a whisper. 

“How do you get that?” Matthew asked. 

“Had I come here when that insanity still reigned, I don’t think I would be the happy-go-lucky gentleman you see before you.” Again, confusion from Eleni. 

“Ah, you mean how Polaris’ failure brought down the Shaw Legacy, and the Cult of the Magnetist? The Hellfire Club as well, at least what it used to be.” 

“Exactly,” was G’s satisfied reply. 

At the time, the Lensherrs had become empty figure heads, with the Shaw family, who had re-established the Hellfire Club in its ancient glory, being the ones who truly held the power. History told that they had been ruthless with it: encouraging infighting between the power brokering families, which led to vicious plots and assassinations, all the while enriching themselves in any manner they could. They had ruthlessly pursued mutant augmentation and experimentation, and, it was rumored, they had even taken non-mutant humans as slaves. 

“Why is it even called the Throne?” G asked, as the object disappeared out of sight, “it really does look like an armchair.” 

Bringing himself back to the present, Matthew shrugged, though he agreed with his friend. Then Eleni began reciting: 

_“Upon the Throne they will arise  
And return us to the skies.”_

Matthew looked at Eleni in surprise. 

“I thought you didn’t like prophecies.” He didn’t add that he had never heard that one before. Eleni blinked. 

“I thought it was just a poem. Madam P told it to me when she first brought me in here. It used to be inscribed at the base of the Throne, though she didn’t say why it was removed.” 

Matthew reflected on their conversation about Polaris Reborn, and thought he understood the reason why. 

For an extra fee, the rickshaw took them all the way to Matthew’s house, where Matthew and Eleni got G some food, then sat with him in the living room encouraging him to rest, though he insisted on talking. 

Adam returned about an hour after they reached the house, having cut short his visit to the vineyard. He was not alone. 

“Really, Mr. Summers, it’s just some aches. Give me a couple of days and I’ll be good as new,” G protested when Adam said he had brought someone to help G. 

Adam looked to Matthew, who shook his head slightly. G had been jostled several times on the way home, and had bent over, clearly in pain, each time. 

“Well, if that is the case, G, then this should be really quick. This is Jessalyn Chang. She can heal you.” G peered at the woman. 

“A doctor?” She laughed. 

“Hellfire help me, no. I am a financier. But, for the right price, I occasionally use my natural born gift.” Matthew knew of Jessalyn. She had a head for numbers, and had made herself extremely wealthy. Her mutant ability had brought her UpMountain, but she had been the one to make a place for herself in the land of the gods. 

She turned to Adam. 

“You brought the 2953 Pinot Noir?” Matthew nearly choked. That was an excellent year: the weather conditions had allowed for maximum uncovered sun time of any year to date. The wines were so cherished they were held in a special cellar, and the corks were rotated to keep them fresh. You could buy a small condominium for the price of one bottle. 

“Three bottles are in the case by the door.” Jessalyn went to inspect her payment. 

Matthew looked at his father. The man shrugged. 

“Can you put a price on friendship?” he asked quietly. Then he scrunched his face. “And it’s not as if it is going to beggar us, either.” Matthew recognized what he meant. 

“Thanks.” 

Jessalyn returned, apparently happy with what she had received. With no ceremony, she removed the gloves she always wore, and reached out to G. He shied away. 

“Whoa. Wait. What happens? Can you read my mind when you touch me? Or my genes?” Jessalyn rolled her eyes. 

“No, and no. My powers are automatic healing. I touch you, you heal. And it feels good.” She gave a smile that bordered on nasty. Matthew had heard rumors about another way she made her money, for the right price. He pushed the thought aside; that didn’t matter now. “It takes from me, too, which is why I charge high prices. I’ll be recuperating for a few days after this.” Her tone placed the blame for that blatantly on G, in spite of the generous compensation she would be receiving. “And I will only go so far.” 

G considered this for a moment, glancing at Matthew and Adam. They both nodded. 

“She’s true to her word, G, in matters of business,” Adam provided, ignoring the irritated look Jessalyn gave him. 

“OK,” the big man said. 

Jessalyn placed her hands on him. He watched her, but after a moment a look of relief flooded onto his face and his eyes fluttered closed. He determinedly opened them again to watch the woman who was healing him. The effect of the healing was clear, as muscles throughout G’s body relaxed. 

It was only about 2 minutes later that Jessalyn took her hands from G. She glanced at them, the hmphed. 

“That felt better than usual,” she smiled brightly up at Adam and Matthew, “if you are looking for an enhancement, I know the place to go.” 

“Thank you, Jessalyn,” Adam said. 

“No, thank _you_,” she replied. “You know, people are shorting your vintages.” 

Adam looked up sharply. 

“That’s what happens when you do unpopular things,” she continued as she stood. “But it means three times a win for me, now.” She grinned, called her porter in to carry the pack with the bottles, and left. 

Matthew and Adam exchanged a look. That was not good news for them. 

“What did she mean by that?” G said as he shifted himself on the couch. He paused a moment, closed his eyes and exhaled. 

“Are you ok?” Eleni asked, coming to his side. She had stayed at the edge of the room throughout the exchange with the financier. 

“Just tired.” 

“A side effect of the healing,” Adam explained. G nodded, as he closed his eyes and lay back on the couch. Eleni felt his head, but G shook off her hand with a disparaging look. 

“I just got _healed_.” 

“I don’t trust that woman,” was Eleni’s grumbled response. 

“She’s not the most savory of figures, Elle, but I can vouch that she was honest about everything she said for the healing,” Matthew tried to reassure her. 

“What about what she didn’t say?” Eleni countered, at the same time Adam looked at Matthew and asked, “You can truth tell instinctively?” Matthew looked back and forth between them, and decided to answer his father. 

“Yeah, it’s gotten easier. I’ll probably start the training in the fall.” Being a certified truth teller meant a well-paying skill. Not so different from how Jessalyn was using her healing abilities, Matthew thought sourly. However, it was only practical. 

“Good, good,” Adam murmured, “it only makes sense.” He started to turn away, but G hadn’t forgotten his question. 

“What does that mean? That they are ‘shorting your bottles’.” 

“Oh, that. It means people expect the value of the vintages to drop.” 

“Why would they expect that? Aren’t you the only ones who produce wine here?” G asked. Matthew looked at his father, though he suspected the reason. 

“Like Jessalyn said, I’ve been doing some things that aren’t too popular. People are starting to let me know by choosing other types of alcohol.” 

“Would they stop buying your wine altogether?” Eleni asked, sharply. 

“A boycott? Doubtful.” Their wines were popular, being the only ones on the market. 

“But she said it’s three times a win…,” Eleni continued, “so she’s invested in the short, probably invested in another type of alcohol, and also has highly desirable bottles to sell secretly on the side if there is a boycott, and none of that money will go to you.” Matthew nodded, impressed with Eleni’s grasp of the situation. 

“More or less,” Adam responded. He changed the subject. “Let’s get some dinner…is G asleep?” Indeed, the large man had passed out. Matthew covered him with a light blanket, then he, Eleni and Adam retreated to the kitchen where they made dinner. 

They woke G up to eat an hour later, and at dinner managed to convince him to stay at the Summers’ overnight. After the meal, Matthew walked Eleni home, then came back to find G already ensconced in the large bed in the guest room. 

“This is going to be the best sleep of my life,” he said, pounding the mattress. Matthew smiled as he settled in the chair in the room. “That healing was…mmm-mmm,” G added, his eyes wide in appreciation. “Thanks, Mattie. To you and your Dad. Turns out he’s not so bad.” 

“I always told you that.” G gave a short laugh, then fell silent. 

“G?” There was something Matthew had been thinking about, another topic teased from his conversations with Eleni. 

“Hmmm?” 

“Could you tell me what you remember?” 

“Remember?” 

“About…where we were before. Where we were born.” 

His friend looked at him, confusion clear on his face. Matthew was surprised to find him hesitant to talk. 

“G?” 

“I don’t remember a lot, but…you’ve never wanted to talk about this before.” 

“I want to know now.” G considered him a moment, the shrugged. 

“I remember tunnels, but also trees. I remember going to some kind of school every day. You were there, too, but Tara and Jae were still too young. I remember that our parents were friends. Or they worked together. I’m not sure which.” 

“There was a guy with spikes on his back.” 

“Yeah. I remember him.” G didn’t say any more about that. 

“A lady with a red dot on her forehead.” 

“Hmmm? I don’t recall her.” A pause. “I do remember your mother.” 

“So, do I…” 

“I mean…I remember who she was. Kind of. She had temper. She was a force of nature when she was angry.” 

“Why do you say that?” 

“I remember her arguing for something. Insisting on it. She got worked up, but was still able to think, and cut down all the arguments against her. I remember this feeling of…inevitability. And if a 6-year-old was picking that up, she must have been some serious shit.” Matthew found himself laughing slightly. 

“So that is where Jae got that from…” It was supposed to be a joke, but the laughter quickly died. “Anything else?” 

G exhaled. “I remember my dads.” 

“What were they like?” 

“One was a comedian. He could always make us laugh. Sometimes it was too much, but we needed it. Or, my other dad needed it.” 

“Why is that? Was he sad?” 

“Yes. In a…soft way. He kept going, but it was a struggle at times. He loved my funny dad so much, and they worked well together.” G’s voice trailed off. “Why, Mattie? Why are you asking about this now?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“Have you…remembered more?” Matthew shook his head. 

“G…are they still doing it? Are they still taking kids?” 

“I don’t think so. People in the Sewers say a few kids, alone, would show up from time to time before us, but that we were the last ones they know of.” Matthew worked up his courage to speak the next words. 

“G, I’m sorry.” 

“What?” 

“That I didn’t…react more. When I found out, I just wanted to…” 

“You wanted everything to stay the same.” G’s tone wasn’t accusatory, but there was a distance in it. Matthew was reminded of Eleni, and their conversation from the previous day. 

“It seemed so…like it was a different life, not part of my life.” Matthew squeezed his eyes shut. “But they killed our families to take us, and people here knew about it—know about it! – they must, and they let it happen. Am I accepting it, too? Why am I not driven to action? Am I scared?” 

G spoke slowly. 

“Probably. You’d be going up against the military. But…it’s not stupid. Knowing what they did and not doing anything about it kills your soul in bits, but it’s not stupid. Mattie…our lives depend upon this place. Literally. And you have a really good life, on top of that.” A ghost of a laugh. “I’m a realist. If our positions were switched, I don’t think I’d want to give up the good food, the fancy clothing or the comfortable bed either.” 

The similarity with this conversation and the previous day’s one with Eleni made the hair on Matthew’s arm stand on. The allowances they both granted him, in response to his, or his father’s, ignorance and lack of action, became a shoddy thing, and that wasn’t a reflection on his friends: it was a reflection upon himself. 

Yet, he also couldn’t deny there was truth there. He couldn’t imagine himself giving up his comfortable life, either. At a loss, he directed the conversation into safer territory, and brought up Hulio’s continued success. 

When Matthew saw G’s eyes drooping again, he excused himself but didn’t immediately go to bed. He went and knocked on Adam’s door. 

“Yes?” 

Matthew opened the door, and leaned in the doorway. His father was sitting up in bed, reading a book. The man removed his glasses and looked at his son. 

“Why are people shorting our vintages?” Matthew knew the answer, and was more interested in his father’s reaction. Adam looked away, yet his demeanor was humorous. 

“The word extortion may have been bandied about a bit.” Matthew entered the room, and sat on end of the plush chest at the foot of the bed. 

“At the restaurant. When you said you spoke to them about their order, you told them it wasn’t coming.” 

“I also said I hoped they would provide better service for my guests if I decided to patronize them again.” Matthew was surprised at the lack of regret in the man’s voice. 

“That isn’t good, Dad. We could get in big trouble.” Adam sighed. 

“You are right…to an extent. At this point, we wouldn’t get more than a slap on the wrist. The next level is a decent fine, but nothing we can’t afford. After that…we risk losing the business. That, I won’t do. So, yes, we stand to lose a lot, and I don’t know if I’m a coward or smart, but I won’t let it go that far.” 

“Smart, dad. It’s smart. What good would that do us if you lost everything?” Yet, his stomach turned as he said these words. 

“You’re right. You’re right,” Adam said, but was unconvincing, and Matthew found some solace in that. 

“Do you want to live in the DownMountain?” Matthew demanded evenly, though he winced internally. He didn’t want to let himself gloss over the implications of what their wealth meant anymore. Adam squeezed his eyes shut. 

“No, no, of course not.” Still, there was hesitation, and that surprised Matthew, to the point of concern. 

“Dad, you do realize it would be foolhardy, right?” 

“As I recall, you supported this action at the start,” Adam pointed out. 

“Yeah, at the start. But it’s going to another level now, and it’s no longer helping Eleni that much.” 

Adam looked dismayed at that news. 

“It’s not?” 

“Maybe a little, but other pranks have started up again.” 

“Stopping would only embolden them,” Adam challenged, and Matthew sighed. 

“We need to find something else,” he replied. “Pushing this further would prove nothing and only hurt us.” Adam sighed out in defeat. His reluctance warmed Matthew on some level. 

“Let’s keep it in place until after the ballet, at least,” Adam proposed, and Matthew battled with a similar desire to do so, coupled with a growing anxiety. 

“Dad, do you not see the risk? What if they decide to skip the slap on the wrist or the fine? There are plenty of people in the circles who would like to get their hands on the vineyard.” Jenna and her father flashed through Matthew’s mind, though he quickly suppressed the thought. Nonetheless, there had been plenty of thinly-veiled barbs from his former friends and their families over the years that before he had cast aside as part of the game, but now understood as real threats. 

“I do, Mattie. I do. But I find myself wondering, what is the price of self-respect?” 

Matthew blinked, and again thought back to the day before. If they had brought Adam to understand the dynamics between themselves and Juli’s action, he had faith the man could have found a path to justice. What Matthew didn’t know was what the consequences of taking action would have been. 

“There must be other ways we can make a difference. I mean, the people DownMountain already know you, and that you actually care. The vineyard is known as the best place to work. You treat them like the people they are. If that’s not a source of self-respect then what is?” 

“Yes, for the hundred or so we can employ.” Adam took a deep breath. “In truth, I’ve never spent much thought on the rest. Maybe we can do more.” Matthew agreed. 

“If we keep the vineyard,” he pointed out. “We can look into other ways to make the DownMountainers’ lives better.” 

Adam nodded slowly. 

“Let’s do that.” Matthew nodded as well as he started to stand. 

“Mattie, wait a second. I talked to Serge about G.” Serge was the family lawyer. “He said we can file an obstruction, using testimony from Jessalyn and yourselves, and delay G’s testing. I want to do that. But it is only a delay. Serge did not believe we’d be able to hold off the process indefinitely. He claimed the contract they had G sign is iron clad.” Matthew sat back down, and leaned forward on his knees, grasping one balled fist with the other hand. 

“But we’ll do it. Has Serge gone ahead with the filing?” Adam gave a bitter laugh. 

“He provided the information, but he won’t touch the case. He won’t defend G. I have to find someone else.” Matthew cursed and stood in anger. He knew, however, that trying to force the man to do so would only undermine a valuable relationship with their long-time lawyer. Matthew started pacing the room. 

“I have a few ideas,” Adam was saying. “But it will probably take a bit of time to find someone.” 

“Yanella Darkholme.” 

“The Baron? She’s not a practicing lawyer.” 

“No, but she represents the DownMountain. She might know lawyers who have worked with people from there before.” 

“DownMountain, perhaps, but the Sewers?” Adam looked dubious. Then he shrugged. “I’ll try her first. It’s better than anything I’ve thought of.” 

Matthew nodded, somewhat satisfied with that resolution. He started to make his way towards the door. He had reading to do, but thought he might prioritize sleep after the disturbing events of the day. 

“Dad, G’s really grateful for what you’ve done,” Matthew said as he neared the door. “And so am I. I mean, if it makes you feel better and it helps him, that’s a win-win.” Adam looked at his son. 

“I see now what G is to you. I didn’t before. When you were little, you would demand to see him, and I did so because you were struggling. But once you started to find some kind of balance, I thought it was better if you didn’t spend as much time with him and his sister. I thought it would make things easier for you up here. So, while I didn’t keep you from him, I also didn’t encourage it.” Looking back on his childhood and adolescence, Matthew understood what his father meant. “Seeing you two now…I think I was wrong.” 

Matthew stood there for a moment. He didn’t know the answer to the question his father was posing. “I’m glad he’s back in my life now,” was all he said. “Good night.” 

The next morning Matthew was down at the breakfast table, trying to finish up his reading before class when G came down. The man nearly fainted in shock when he saw his friend sitting at the table. 

“What, G, are you ok?” Matthew asked, standing up. His friend was frozen in the door. 

“What are those?” 

“What?” 

“Those. On your face.” Matthew raised his hand to the pair of glasses he was wearing. He found them delightfully ironic: he might have the most powerful mind in the world, but he was already far sighted just short of 19. 

“Um, glasses,” Matthew said, waiting for whatever inappropriate humor G would find in them. 

“Take them off.” 

“What? I need them to read.” 

“Then I’ll eat in the even fancier dining room,” G started to turn away. 

“Ok!” Matthew took them off. G turned back, and was clearly relieved. 

“Thank Magneto, lord of magnets. You were almost attractive with those on.” Matthew wished he had something he could throw at his friend, and settled for an irritated glare. 

“How are you feeling, G?” Adam said, coming in. 

“Much better. That was the best sleep I’ve ever had. And after that healing,” he whistled low. “I’m ready to take on the world.” He glanced at the clock. “Speaking of which, I need to get back to the Towers.” 

“Breakfast first,” Adam ordered, setting down the Holday best again. G took one look at the table, and sat without hesitation. 

“These are the best two days of my life,” he said in an exaggerated whisper to Matthew. Matthew could only think that they had come about because his friend had been abused by the military. 

“G, we’re going to file an obstruction against the military branch handling your testing. That will provide a delay, at which time we will challenge the contract you entered into,” Adam said, as he sat.  
G paused, a strawberry halfway to his mouth. 

“Is that a good idea?” Adam looked at him like he was crazy. 

“Good? Of course, it’s a ‘good’ idea. It is _normal_ to object when someone is overstepping the bounds.” 

G chewed a strawberry slowly, looking introspective. 

“G? This is the _right_ thing to do,” Matthew prompted. Finished with the strawberry, G looked up as if startled. 

“What? Oh, sorry! Got lost in whatever piece of heaven that was,” he sighed, and seemed to fade into fantasy again, until Matthew reached over and pushed his head to the side. G grinned, then fell serious. 

“I am appreciative of the gesture. Forgive me if I am somewhat doubtful that it will succeed.” 

“G, you were in enough pain that you required a healer. I would think that enough proof overstepping has occurred.” 

“But these are the people with the real power here. I’m no idiot: the Grey Arms are a huge presence in the DownMountain. Like a small army set up behind the train station.” 

“G, I understand you are wary of the military. I have little fondness for the military institution myself, but their days of controlling the Montagne are long gone. There are checks and balances in place now,” Adam tried to reassure him. 

G sat and took in these words, his eyes hooded. Matthew stepped in. 

“Also, G, these legal proceedings take time and resources. They’re a pain in the ass. Whoever is running the testing at the military is likely to drop it once we file the suit. They must be getting near the end of your testing as it is.” 

The large man considered his friend, and finally nodded. 

“Then I will take you up on your generosity. I have no desire to go back to that place. And if I recall correctly, there were clauses in that contract that required my presence until the military deemed they were done with me.” Matthew glanced at Adam, whose brow furrowed in confusion. 

“I think you were mistaken, G. The Montagne would never allow anything that resembled slavery or subjugation. You know the history of Magneto’s family.” 

G just stared at Adam after the man’s comment, and Matthew started to worry he was still recovering from his experience from the day before. 

Then his friend waved his hand, as if shaking off a frivolous thought. 

“OK. Let’s do this thing,” he said weakly. 

Adam gave a grim smile in return. 

“I’d like you to stay with us until the initial paperwork is done. Once we have the obstruction in place, however it will give you a bit of a buffer, as your obligations to the military should be temporarily suspended.” Matthew looked up at his father in surprise. 

G was silent for a moment. 

“They need me at the Towers,” he finally replied. 

“I understand, but I feel it is only wise. And you are still recovering: you might feel great now, but a serious healing can take some time to get over. Anyway, this should only take a few days.”  
G sighed, and nodded. 

“OK. But if it is not in place by the end of the week, I’m going back.” 

Matthew and Adam nodded, satisfied with that compromise, and G turned the conversation back to Hulio's continued success. 

** JAE**

“What’s that smell?” Jae wrinkled her nose. While the air had been tinged with an unpleasant aroma when they disembarked from the train, here, close to their destination, it had suddenly wafted strong. 

“That’s the smell of home,” came the quiet reply. Jae looked at her companion, a senior cadet. The man was heavyset, most of the flesh muscle, though not very tall. He came up a few inches short of herself. His pale skin and brown eyes looked at her softly. There was a sense of resignation about him, though he was crisp and efficient as they went about their business. 

“You’re DownMountain, sergeant?” she asked, trying to hide her displeasure. The man was her senior, and she respected the hierarchy of the military. She understood the value it held. But she had never been put under the instruction of someone from the DownMountain. 

He nodded, and surveyed her for another long moment. 

“I’ve only ever done this job with other DownMountainers,” he said. Jae liked that even less, and looked away. He turned and plugged a code into a number panel found by a large, retractable garage-like doorway. With a thump followed by a grinding noise, the door slowly started to move upward. 

Waiting, Jae surveyed the buildings in their vicinity. The closest was at least 20 yards away; there was a gap between the habitable part of the DownMountain and the edge here. Off to the left, Jae could see two skeleton buildings towering above the rest of the squat and dilapidated structures that made up the majority of the city. 

Disgusted, she looked to the right, back towards the station, looking forward to completing her task and getting back home where it was clean and comfortable. 

“Let’s go,” her companion said. She found she liked his attitude. Stoic and calm. The kind of person you’d want to have watching your back. She remembered that for the day she’d be the one giving orders. 

As they entered the room beyond, Jae had a sense of vastness, though most of it remained shrouded in darkness. 

“What is this place, sergeant?” 

“The airlocks” 

“Airlocks, sir?” 

“Back when the air was still poisonous, a breach in the DownMountain cavern meant widespread death. These were created as evacuation areas. The doors could be closed and sealed, and pressurized oxygen was pumped in.” 

Jae gazed around incorporating that information into her sense of the space. 

“They would just live in here?” He didn’t take offense at her lack of title. 

“Until the breach was fixed. That’s the way it was back then. The caverns used to be stocked with food, and stuff. Anyway, here’s the deal,” he got down to business, “we move through the chamber, triggering the lights as we go. You watch for anything out of the ordinary.” 

“That’s it, sergeant?” It was disturbingly familiar to her search around the base of the Atrium, and promised to be just as tedious. She tensed slightly, not understanding why she was still getting these assignments. 

“Yes, cadet,” and he started moving forward. As he reached the edge of the light that shone forward from the doorway, he moved to the side, located a switch, and threw it. Another large patch of space was illuminated, this time from above. Jae looked up to see the ceiling, a couple stories above. 50 paces in front of her, darkness still reigned. 

“See anything, cadet?” the voice called over. Not demanding, only expecting. She obediently surveyed the entire lit area. 

“Nothing, sir.” 

“Let’s move on.” 

And they did, section by section. There were eight segments of light to cover, and just as Jae felt relief that they were done, her supervisor informed her that there were two more caverns. She thought she saw him smirk slightly after informing her of this fact, but his questions as they returned to the entrance of the first airlock were cordial enough. 

“Cadet Summers, are you one of the Summers Vineyard Summers?” 

“I am, sir,” she replied looking straight ahead slightly disgusted. The man didn’t even know that the Summers’ family name was one of the few which was only awarded to those who carried on the business. Anyone who married out of the family took a new surname. 

The sergeant glanced at her sideways, and she prepared to politely refuse to bring him a bottle of wine. She had done it several times already, though it had not gone over very well with her UpMountain superiors. 

“What your family is doing for G, it’s appreciated.” What? It took Jae a moment to connect the name ‘G’ with her brother’s fat friend who was causing a scandal for their household. 

“You know him? Sir?” she said, mostly because she didn’t know what else to say, and didn’t think it wise to let on that she didn’t support her father’s actions. 

“There’s hardly a soul in the Sewers who doesn’t know G. And the work he does for the little ones and the lost ones.” Jae said nothing, and the man must have picked up on her indifference, as he led her the rest of the way to the next cavern in silence. 

The task in all took a good two hours to complete. 

“How often do they do that, sergeant? Are they still maintaining them in case of a cave in or something?” she asked, as they made their way to the last door. He shrugged. 

“Perhaps. I do know that they sometimes get strange readings down here. There are some sensors in there, because they don’t want people just wandering in. They send people down to find out what the issue is, but no one has ever found anything.” He looked at Jae. “It’s just faulty equipment if you ask me.” Jae blinked at the subtle dis of the military’s might. Then she dismissed it. 

At the exit, he let her go. 

“You did well here, Cadet Summers. I’ll give you a positive report. You are free to go.” 

That was a slight surprise, as normally superiors escorted their cadets back. “Uh, thank you, sir.” He nodded, and turned away. She watched him cross the open space, and disappear into the buildings, not in the direction of the station. 

Having no desire to explore the DownMountain, much less the Sewers, she turned to her right, and made her way directly to the train. She walked by the dingy buildings, trying not to breath too deeply. 

“Jalisa Summers?” The sound of an unfamiliar voice saying her name stopped her. She turned to find a dark face with near-black eyes looking at her from outside a shop. From the bags the person was carrying, they had been out on errands. 

“Who are you? How do you know me?” She had never courted fame like her brother, and has mostly remained out of the tabloids as a result. 

“My name is Bright. G pointed you out to me at the dance school once. I’m, uh, a friend of Matthew’s. I was wondering how G was.” 

Jae choked on her comment that she could care less about her brother and his new friends as she recalled the day she had been at the dance school. 

“I was just wondering how G was doing?” the DownMountainer repeated after a moment of silence. Jae came back to herself; the fat man again. Jae almost ground her teeth in annoyance. 

As she decided how to answer, she surveyed the person. She couldn’t decide if they were male or female, and settled for the non-gender. They looked to be about the same age as herself. And they were pretty cute.  
Annoyed with her line of thinking, Jae snapped the answer she had decided upon. 

“I don’t know, and I don’t care.” Turning away she strode purposefully towards the station. She couldn’t help them, even if she wanted to. All she wanted was to get away from the smell. 

** ERIK**

“Are you enjoying your meal, Erik?” 

“Why yes, Sean. It is delicious.” Erik’s companion smiled and nodded. Erik himself made no comment about the use of the familiar with him. For a short time when they were young, Erik had considered Sean Cassidy a friend. They had bonded over what it meant to be named after someone who had lived a thousand years ago. 

Now, Sean was making his way up the military hierarchy, and firmly committed to that goal. His association with the current Head was something he saw as an advantage: people thought he had a window into Erik that few others had. Little did they know that at this point, the relationship was nothing more than a pantomime on both sides. 

“You have no doubt heard about Adam Summer’s latest antics.” 

Erik winced internally, though outwardly he tipped his head, lifted his eyebrows and closed his eyes in an expression of exasperation. 

The man’s withholding of wines was stupid; backing this DownMountainer would likely ruin him. Erik would be happy to stand back and watch the man destroy himself. However, Travis had asked Erik to intervene. Erik had found himself wishing he had taken his sister’s advice, and encouraged Travis to distance himself a bit. 

Nonetheless, the Head had no intention of doing wading into that disaster in the making, and hoped his nephew had taken the resulting lecture on delicacy and playing favorites at face value. He didn’t think the young man knew the history between himself and Adam Summers. 

“If only the man had stayed quiet,” Sean continued. “And he’s ruined that boy, though the girl seems to be performing well.” 

“The girl?” Erik asked. 

“Jalisa Summers. She lives on the military campus now, and is proving to be loyal.” Erik nodded. The girl had never been of much consequence, but nonetheless, he tucked that piece of information away. Any Summers with a military connection was a concern. Sean was still griping. “He should never have been allowed to raise those children. But we’ll get them back in line.” Sean Cassidy raised his glass to punctuate the sentiment. His brown eyes holding Erik in their gaze, Sean casually posed his next question. “I heard a rumor that you tried to get them, once.” 

Erik considered his drink as he considered his answer. It was an elaborate cocktail, evidence of a sudden and enthusiastic shift in trends. 

“There were, indeed, better placements for those children,” he replied, sidestepping an answer. He took a sip from the drink, and set it on the table. “Although, as I recall, your associates weren’t that unhappy with Summers adopting them at the time.” 

“Ah, well, there were some who had believed him to be returning to a…a better state of mind. However, it seems that certain….associations have had a permanent effect on him. Of course, you did not suffer the same, my liege.” 

Erik ignored the backhanded comment. The table was cloaked in silence for a minute. 

This dinner was a regular occurrence, and he held similar meals with the Barons. Erik, who kept himself apart as a rule, used them to gently mine for information. There were several topics he wished he could breach with the well-connected colonel: he wanted to ask why his covert force had found a hollowed-out mountain, reinforced with titanium and aluminum. He wanted to ask why the military was so far behind in replicating the escape planes that had now been within their possession for over four decades. But those matters would have to wait. He had put the latter off several times already, as it seemed there were always more pressing matters.  
In the silence, he prepared himself to introduce his chosen topic as innocuously as possible. His dinner companion saved him the trouble. 

“Tracy, now. She is doing very well.” Sean nodded in a self-satisfied manner. “You must be pleased to have such a promising heir.” 

“Tracy is focused and keen on ruling,” Erik replied. “She no doubt is happy with the military connections she had made over her short career there.” 

“Yes, indeed,” Sean replied. 

“So I was surprised to hear that she has been working with Colonel Garrett.” Sean coughed. 

“I hadn’t—” the man stopped, and glanced up at Erik’s hat. “Well, we do shift assignments so that trainees are used to working under different sources of authority. Tracy is no exception. It is important that she understands the value in our system, though she will of course, someday command us all.” 

“But, Garrett is in a primarily administrative position, no?” Erik challenged. “That does not seem the sort of person the military would normally put someone of Tracy’s position in contact with.” 

“Well, again, we value every soldier’s ability to take orders. I see no better way for her to prove her respect for our organization than by adhering to its precepts under any circumstances. It will only increase the future loyalty she receives from us.” 

“The military’s loyalty to the Lensherr name is always steadfast, Sean. Surely, you recall your own anthem.” The other man’s mouth twisted in distaste, and Erik silently berated himself for losing his temper. 

“Of course, my liege,” the man responded, coolly, and Erik knew he wouldn’t get anything else of use out of this evening, and hoped it would end as soon as possible. 

** CITADEL 3021.03.15**

** DAVE**

“How is your dinner, Dave?” 

“It’s delicious, mom. Thank you.” Angela Kelly grinned at her son. 

“You’ve always loved Davio’s.” That comment came from Raymond, who was sitting across the table from Dave. His mother was at the head. 

Dave simply nodded in response to that, as he had just put more of the food in question in his mouth. That was fortunate because the man’s comment had reminded him of the last time he had eaten the food from his favorite restaurant. 

Controlling his face, he chewed slowly, and kept his eyes trained to his plate, hoping the conversation would once again drop off. 

It did, and beautiful silence reigned. Dave regained his composure and measured his chances of the silence holding until the end of this requisite family dinner. 

Unlike with his father, he had no good excuse for avoiding his mother, and he had dutifully made sure to spend some time with her every month or so since school began. As the deaths of Eleni and her mother had grown distant, his own mother’s comments had dropped off, and those visits had become somewhat more tolerable. 

Somewhat more like what families were supposed to be. 

Dave sighed at the thought, then cursed himself as his mother took it as an opportunity start up a conversation again. 

“You are very quiet. I know you’ve said that your studies have put a lot on your mind, but you know, you can share it with us. Tell us, Dave.” She had reached out and laid her hand on his during this entreaty. He looked away, but didn’t immediately pull his hand back. He couldn’t share the fact that, in the wake his encounter with Christian, he was struggling with the role he had played in Eleni’s death; specifically, the realization that by failing to act, he had effectively greased the wheels on the system that guaranteed her ultimate demise. 

He grasped weakly for something else. 

“Really, mom. It’s nothing. Studying law is just turning my brain inside out.” 

“They say it changes the way you think,” Raymond commented, and Dave reluctantly agreed. 

“You can say that. You can also say that it’s kind of messed up.” 

“Dave,” his mother’s interjection had a disapproving tone. 

“Well, it is! The law that defines our society is basically inaccessible to the general public because, to navigate it, you have to completely alter your way of thinking. Things that seem simple or obvious get twisted into something unrecognizable. Or,” he amended, “recognizable only to the lawyers.” 

His mother hummed and nodded, her chiding turning wry. While she hadn’t studied law herself, she was involved with lobbying efforts and think tanks, most often related to women’s issues, and was familiar with the legal potholes and loopholes that often drove people away from advocating for matters that seemed like they should be straightforward. Much like he and Sanida were becoming familiar with them. 

“It’s a miracle the population has any faith in us,” he muttered in conclusion. 

“But someone needs to do it, Dave. When we turn to words instead of weapons, smart people are going to use those words as weapons, and create as much ambiguity and flexibility as possible to protect themselves while achieving their goals. It’s a completely different language, and the syntax you use changes based on who has the power: the resources, or the influence.” Angela’s voice turned soft, as if she were speaking to herself as she continued, and she pulled her hand back to let it rest on the table in front of her. “But, it is possible to navigate, and to achieve what you wish, especially for people in our position. Just never lose sight of your goal, or the people for whom you are fighting. For fighting we are, not on a battlefield, perhaps, but fighting nonetheless.” She took a sip of her wine. 

Dave didn’t quite to know what to make of this monologue. While his mother never shied away from sharing her opinions, the preachy tone was unusual. The words were wise, however, if a bit overblown, and he nodded. 

“It’s not always easy, is it?” he murmured, sensing a response was needed. Again, she nodded. 

“No. And our very society can twist our values so that we think what we are doing is the best for all…when perhaps it is not,” she added. The strange comment made Dave look back at her, and found her looking to the side pensively. Raymond, reached out and placed his hand next to hers. She turned her head and focused on the man. “It’s time,” she said quietly. 

“Time for what?” Dave asked. His mother turned her gaze to him. 

“Time to tell you about something I’ve been considering for a while now. I haven’t made my final decision, yet, and wanted to get your thoughts first. I will take them into account.” Dave leaned forward, intrigued. His mother considered him for a moment before continuing. “You know that Senator Anwat is retiring this next fall.” Dave nodded. “I’m thinking of running for his seat.” 

Dave blinked. He had never realized that his mother’s interest in politics expanded beyond her activities behind the scenes. There were maybe a dozen women involved in the upper echelon of Citadel politics, and most of them older. They tended to segue into that career after their childbearing years had passed. 

Then again, his mother wouldn’t be bearing any more children, and that had been fact for years now. 

“Mom, I never realized you had interest in such a public position, but I think…I mean, you have my support. Of course!” 

His mother grinned with pleasure. “Thank you, Dave. And, by the Mother, I will win!” He grinned back at her determination, reaching inside himself to echo his own dedication, though to a cause his mother would abhor. 

“You have always been a champion of the Mother,” he said, meaning it and knowing there were few others who would grant her that compliment. 

“Dave, you are young man wise beyond your years,” Raymond said quietly. “You mother is the champion for the Mother. Someday this city will see that.” 

The bark of laughter that came from Angela had a bitter edge to it. “We can hope for that, but I guarantee you it will not come within my lifetime.” 

Dave looked away, then redirected the topic. 

“So, what is your platform? What issues will you be targeting?” 

As he asked these questions, internally he judged his mother’s chances of winning as fairly good. She held a unique position in regards to her political sway: even though her husband’s legislative actions were among the more liberal of the Citadel, Angela Kelly nonetheless had a firm following within both liberal and conservative circles. Or, more specifically, within the female population therein. 

_Angela’s got the women behind her._

Dave had heard his father say it numerous times, and knew that in spite of his father’s perceived affair, Angela’s reaction, staying with her husband, though at the same time showing her displeasure in an acceptable way as evidenced by the fact that Dave was an only child, had helped her secure that position. Now, the support that had helped his father win campaigns, would no doubt establish Angela herself as a mainstream contender in the election. 

She had the women behind her, and they made up half the population. 

“While I will be setting up platforms on all the issues, my main focus will continue to be the health and general welfare of the female population. In this time of stability and growing freedoms, the women of this city long for more. I aim to grant them that wish, not so different from what your father has work towards with the general population.” 

Dave nodded. 

“You need to get them out to vote, however,” he remarked. Angela grimaced. 

“I have started reaching out in small sessions, to get a sense of their needs and expectations, but am also using the time to encourage them to vote.” 

Dave’s skin crawled for a moment at the similarities between his mother’s quiet campaign and his own. He focused on what she was saying hoping the feeling would pass quickly. 

“The women of this city bear the role the Mother has set for them honorably, but their potential goes far beyond housekeeping and child rearing. This city will only benefit from their increased participation.” 

Her strident declaration failed to calm Dave’s jangled nerves, as a fact that before he would have dismissed now refused to budge from his mind: she was not speaking of or for the entire female population. His encounter with Christian hovered on the edge of his thoughts, as did the consequences of his lack of action. He spoke almost mechanically. 

“I am happy to know that you will be advocating for the women of this city. I would point out, however, that you are not really fighting for _all_ the women of the city.” He steeled himself for the argument to come. He didn’t really understand why he was challenging his mother in this way. 

Angela Kelly blinked, and then surprised him. 

“Actually, yes, I am. Or will be.” 

“What?” 

“I know where you are going with this Dave, and while your association with your father’s woman and their offspring has made you soft in some ways, I won’t deny that it has opened my eyes as well.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I will give them their children. All of them. It is a long-term goal, but I believe I can make it happen.” 

Dave stared for a moment while his brain processed her meaning. His mother misread his silence. 

“Perhaps, because of _her_ existence, you are not aware of the usual fate of women like her mother,” his mother continued, imperiously. 

“No. I know,” he replied, numb, and it was true. He did know. He had always known that sex workers were made sterile by law: they weren’t worthy of the Blessing of the Mother, the gift of bearing children, because of their sin. That was the reason Eleni’s existence had been particularly scandalous. 

He and Eleni had even spoken of it once. 

His closed his eyes in dismay when he remembered when that had been. 

_ “Eleni, we should stop.” Dave panted as he pulled back from the kiss. The words came out reluctantly. The last thing Dave wanted to do was stop. He didn’t quite remember how she had ended up half on top of him, but it felt very nice. He regretted his words as she pushed herself back._

_“I know,” she said, just as regretfully. _

_Finally, they had another night alone. That first night, when they had gotten back together, there hadn’t been much talking, but physically they had gotten back to where they had left off by the end of their time together. Tonight threatened to go further, but there wasn’t that much further to go before they got into risky territory._

_They both sat up and started putting their clothing back in order. _

_“But…what if we didn’t?” Dave paused in buttoning up his shirt, unsure of what he was hearing._

_“We can’t.”_

_“Why not?”_

_Dave looked at Eleni, nonplussed. Of course, he wanted to do what she suggested, but it wouldn’t be a good idea. Especially for her._

_“It’s too dangerous.” The threat Zach presented to her had hit home what she had told him all along: that this city expected her to become someone’s mistress, or a variation with less prestige. He didn’t want to help her further along that path._

_They continued in silence for a moment, then Eleni spoke again._

_“Did you have sex with Heather or Corella…or anyone else?” _

_“No!” That should have been obvious from the things he had already told her. “Why do you ask that?!” She shrugged unfazed. Annoyance echoed in her response._

_“Well, it’s unlikely that you have any STD’s then. And I have birth control. So, I don’t see why not,” she stated bluntly. He stared at her. _

_“You’re on birth control?”_

_“Your father asked Kurt to do it when they found out about Zach.” Dave continued to stare. If Eleni got pregnant, it would condemn her more than she already was, that was true. But the fact that his father had provided it to her in light of Zach’s interest made the information sit uncomfortably in his stomach. _

_“It’s illegal.” This banal fact was all that came out of his mouth._

_She shrugged. _

_“It was only practical.” A terrible kind of practicality. “And…you do know what STD’s are, right?” Now she was being condescending, on top of trying to change the topic._

_“Of course!” His mother had worked on a bill that would make it easier and more private to get tested for STD’s. A lobby she worked with had campaigned that it would protect the babies in the case of pregnancy. They had not mention how it was predominantly the men who infected the women. Dave’s mother had given him the full story, however. _

_Dave forced his thoughts back to the present, and the topic Eleni had just tried to avoid. _

_“But, you on birth control. It’s like…like they were just going to let you be…raped.” The word was difficult to say._

_“You know I’m getting lessons in self-defense as well. The birth control was just an extra precaution on top of that. People will already think I’ve been made sterile, if did happen and word got out.” Dave looked away for a moment at that stark logic. _

_When he looked back, he found her staring at him, refusing to give him a way out. _

_“It’s the way things are, Dave.” He didn’t want to think about that. He looked down. _

_“Then that’s probably even more of a reason of why we…we shouldn’t…”_

_“If no one knows, it won’t make a difference.” He glanced up and found her still watching him intently. When he dropped his eyes again, they caught sight of her hands, clasped tightly together in her lap. Her knuckles bulged white. “Or maybe…you think I am some kind of whore…for even suggesting it.”_

_Dave took in a sharp breath. “No! No. I want it, too, so…why shouldn’t you?” He heard Eleni let out a long breath. They sat in silence._

_ “It, it’s not just that. I want…I want it with you, Dave. Only you.” His heart nearly stopped, and it was his turn take a deep breath. He wanted that, too. Badly._

_“Not here,” he found himself saying, desperately hoping that restriction would prevent their goal from being realized, desperately hoping that they would find a way._

_Eleni nodded in agreement. She put her hand behind his head, and brought them together for a kiss. When they parted, Dave was finally able to put some of his thoughts into words._

_“Eleni, it is dangerous. And it’s more dangerous for you than for me. If you change your mind, I understand.” _

_“I know,” she whispered her acknowledgement, and they were attached again until the alarm went off telling them their time was up._

She had placed reality before him, and while he hadn’t denied it, he had sidestepped. He had been more focused on the threat she faced of sexual assault, which was perhaps forgivable, but he had also let the topic of forced sterilization slide in favor of figuring out how they might have sex. 

Disgust flooded him and he took the thought another step. She had given him the chance to be an adult, and he had--. 

_No._ He stopped. Then he rejected the bitter tone on that thought and guided his thinking on a different, more even and honest path: she had offered him the chance to be a compassionate human being who tried to reach beyond the bubble of his life. And, consciously or not, he had refused. 

“Dave?” Raymond asked, bring the young man back to reality. 

“I knew he’d be touchy about this,” his mother said, her tone edged with disgust. “Let’s discuss one of my near-term platforms.” 

“No,” Dave snapped, though his mind was bereft of challenge he could pose. To let this topic go now felt like another failure. “No,” Dave repeated, trying to find some sort of footing in the conversation. “You would give them their children, so…their children would be able to join society?” 

His mother’s lips thinned. 

“To some extent. They wouldn’t be enrolled at Keio, that is for sure,” she griped, her old bitterness rising up and betraying her own sensitivity on the topic. 

He let his mother’s barb feed his own faithless anger, and in turn his focus. He plunged on. 

“Would you force them into sex work?” His mother winced at his directness. 

“Really Dave, there is no need to…” 

“Would you?!” 

“Of course not! Such work should not even exist, save for the sinners among us. So long as the girls don’t repeat the sin of their mothers, they will be given other opportunities. Limited opportunities.” 

“But everyone will expect it of them.” 

“Not if they prove repentant and make wise choices.” He thought of the choice Eleni had had. 

“Mom, what if it isn’t a choice?” 

“Our city rewards the pious. There is always a choice.” 

“Eleni had no choice!” 

At that, Angela Kelly lost her composure. She slapped her open hand on the table. 

“Don’t you dare speak her name to me! She had more choice than all of them combined!” Dave grasped for facts. 

“She was assaulted! By people who didn’t like it when she said no! And would anyone have cared? Would anyone have come to her defense? She just wanted to live her life in peace but if she had been raped and it had been made public, she would have been damned. She had no control over that situation!” 

“She had your father, and her mother made sure he danced to their tune, of that there is proof! Unlike your claims that she was assaulted! I have heard nothing of this, and cannot entertain conjecture!” 

Dave’s hands curled into fists. His mother was right in that his father’s cover-up had been effective, but her failure to believe him cut deeply. Fury at both his parents bloomed in his chest. 

“Dave,” Raymond cut in in a quiet tone, as if placating an irate child, “let’s move away from the topic of your sister. You were always too close to her. This is one of your mother’s long-term goals. There are many other things she aims to change, and those changes will benefit all in our society and make us stronger. And we need to be strong. Though we have enjoyed a long period of peace, no one ever forgets what exists across the continent.” Dave breathed through his nose, as his anger expanded to include the man sitting in front of him. 

“No, I will not stop talking about Eleni until you understand that she had no choice! And then, maybe you’ll understand that whatever it is you are thinking of offering the other sex workers, and their future children, already fails the basic tenants of humanity!” 

“Dave,” his mother dismissed, “you are not seeing this clearly. I would give greater choice to these women, who are abominations in the eyes of God, not to mention their offspring. By the Mother, I would be allowing their offspring to exist.” 

And there it was. Compared to the present reality, her alternative did carry a sheen of benevolence. 

“Then I believe that you are the abomination, here, not these women!” 

“Dave, your attitude towards your mother is unacceptable!” Raymond spoke sharply this time, throwing his napkin down on the table. “To be honest, I thought you would welcome her ideas, given how close you were to that bastard! _She_ should never have existed!” 

Something snapped inside of Dave. 

“Then I should never have existed either.” 

“Dave, you’re overreacting.” 

“Maybe none of us should have existed. I’m starting to think that would have been better than us ever having this conversation.” Better than him living close to 19 years of his life knowing babies were murdered every day, among other things, and doing nothing about it. 

He stood up. 

“Dave!” his mother called, but he was already walking to the door. 

The cold night air flooded into his lungs and the anger buzzing in his brain started to cool. He distantly realized that he still had next to no inkling of why his mother would change the sterility law, or what she hoped to achieve with it, but a gut feeling that none of it boded well lingered. _“…they will be given other opportunities. Limited opportunities.”_ His stomach turned, and he wished he had been able to come up with more persuasive arguments to challenge the woman’s no-doubt twisted intentions. 

And yet, a part of him whispered that she would do more for these women than anyone had done in centuries. 

If he was honest with himself, she would doing more than he had ever done for Eleni. Perhaps more than his wild campaign could ever achieve. 

Dave came to a standstill on the sidewalk. His mother and Raymond hadn’t pursued him, and he was alone save for the random strangers who walked by. 

His mother’s misguided scheme, and her refusal to acknowledge reality, haunted him. But was he any different? Had he really thought through what it meant to end the extermination of mutants? What kind of welcome would they receive in this city? 

Natal had brough up points like this, but Dave had always dismissed the concerns saying those were issues for later and that first, they had to build their base. He had liked the idea of having as many people as they could supporting them. Supporting him. 

Telling him he was doing the right thing. It had felt so good. 

Now, he set his mind to what would really need to change in order for mutants to become an accepted part of the fabric of the Citadel. 

A tsunami of impossibility crashed down upon him. 

He tipped his head back and felt like crying. 

Should he stop? Had all this been a pageant? Something to assuage his hurt and guilt at Eleni’s loss? 

_Stay the course until you figure this out,_ a voice whispered in the back of his head, and he recognized the sentiment as a page from his mother’s book, as ironic as that was: the woman had faced much discrimination in her quiet career, and had many people tell her she was wasting her time, yet she had persevered. 

He also knew that though the woman clearly had mental blocks that meant she failed to see the whole picture, she had also faced many ugly truths in this city and not flinched. If anyone could reverse the sterilization law, it was her. 

He closed his eyes on these thoughts to find Eleni’s face floating in his mind’s eye. He incongruously paired it with a lesson from his mother to find a single truth, and the only thing that was clear to him in that moment. 

“You would tell me what I am doing is stupid. You would question my motives. And you would be right,” he whispered. “That doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing.” 

When all else failed, his stubbornness rang true. 

Dave opened his eyes, held that one thought in his heart, and walked on into uncertainty. 


	28. Chapter 27

**ELENI**

Eleni walked through the hallways of the school, alert to the crowds around her. She was jostled several times as she went, and felt a flare of heat against her leg. 

“Looks, it’s the dancing sewer rat! Come on. Dance for me, will ya?” The sneering voice was accompanied by a face that suddenly pushed in close to hers. Moving her own face away, she shifted to the side and kept moving. Her first period classroom was in sight.

The desk by the doorway was free, and she quickly sat, though the dark-skinned girl who could produce slime from her mouth settled behind her a moment later. A bit of slime was a small price to pay for being able to get out of the classroom quickly.

As she sat, she pulled out her mote to see if there were any messages from Matthew, but was disappointed. His father had said he would send updates regarding G’s situation as soon as they were available. They were in the process of filing the obstruction with a lawyer they had found.

The teacher, Mr. Grey, entered, and the students settled into their seats.

Ebony raised her hand and Eleni grinned to herself; the golden-eyed girl was talented at making this teacher wax eloquent on subjects unrelated to the curriculum. Her most frequent choice, the prophecies or ‘the history of the future’ as her peer liked to call them, irked Eleni, who had no interest in Telepaths, Magentists or Leaders, but the characters kept the teacher’s attention off of her presence, which she welcomed. Eleni had become very good at tuning the discussion out save for picking up on the cues indicating the professor was done listening to himself talk which told her she should start paying attention again. 

She sat back and found herself thinking of the store she and Madam P had visited recently. The store, full of materials for craft and art projects, had been a delight, and Eleni wished she could have browsed for hours. Her excitement had been poignant to the point that she had barely noticed the shop keeper’s dour expression. Mentally, she brought up images of different materials and tools, wishing she could put her hands to them and turn them into something that came completely from her. It had felt so good to do that again.

“I’m sorry, Ebony, but we have a special topic to discuss today. I noted it has been mentioned in a few editorial’s recently, and thought it wise to fill you in on a bit of its history.”

Eleni’s attention snapped back to class, her disappointment keen. She glanced at Ebony, irrationally irritated that the woman’s efforts had failed, though she also noted that Ebony looked similarly perturbed. The moment of alignment was disconcerting. Eleni didn’t know what to make of the woman, especially since she had helped Eleni get away from the shape shifter. Her instinct still told her to keep her distance; but she also found herself thinking of how the young woman could have tormented her this year and hadn’t: she was a teleporter, and known for her control and finesse.

“First, we will start with a definition. It is a term normally reserved for quieter conversation, and I would understand if some of you were unfamiliar with its use. Today, we will be discussing the _sans_.”   
The was a shifting in the class. Eleni ignored it, and bent over her journal to begin taking notes. “As you know, it happens on occasion that one among us is born without a mutation. Unfortunate, of course, but throughout time genetics has been known to produce a small number of errors, people with disabilities and such, and this is no different. While we normally take the positive view, and focus on the genetic achievement that each of us represents, it is only wise to acknowledge that genetics is as of yet imperfect. We hope to change that in the future, but that is a topic for another time.”

“So, before we get into the history of how this unfortunate group had been dealt with, how do you recognize a _sans_?” Eleni realized at this point, that the man was using the French words for ‘without’, but pronouncing the final ‘s’ which was normally silent.

She glanced up to find the teacher’s eyes, disgust clear within them, upon her. “Well, there is always some suspicion behind any mutant ability that could be learned.” Eleni’s stomach turned to ice. “We know that many of the mathematical or scientific genius’ that arose prior to the public advent of homo superior were in fact mutants, but nowadays, any seeming genius must be put under scrutiny, unless they are truly advancing something new and novel. More concerning are the subjects where there is nothing new to achieve.”

Understanding where this topic was leading, Eleni glanced around the room. Sure enough, the other students were giving her side glances or full on sneers. Save for one, whose head was bowed as they apparently dutifully took notes. Eleni recalled that there had been a handful of ‘geniuses’ at the school; she hadn’t paid close attention to them at the time as, unless they were truly nasty individuals, she hadn’t seen how they could harm her.

The professor droned on.

“We don’t call the ability to learn history faster than average a mutation; some consider excelling in music a mutation, but I cast doubt upon that. Languages, another example, was an ability found among the first generation of mutants, born back in the 20th century. But they were exposed to alien tongues and were able to converse in them. To be adept at only languages found on our planet, that is also suspect.”  
Eleni had stopped taking notes and recalled that Mr. Grey had started with a mention of some editorials. She had to find out about them, and decided to ask Madam P. Matthew had too much going on, and she didn’t want to concern him further. 

Gritting her teeth, Eleni did her best to listen and learn, as while the teacher had chosen this topic to intimidate her, she couldn’t ignore the fact that it would also give her some insight in to what she needed to prepare for.

“Now we will move on to historical examples of _sans_, and what happened to them.”

**MATTHEW**

“This is lovely,” Eleni said, and it warmed Matthew inside. They were sitting together at a small café, having a cup of coffee together. People walked by them, no doubt sometimes giving them looks, but Matthew was able to shut that out entirely that now. The green of the Atrium was visible through the large trapezoidal-shaped entrance about 30 feet from where they sat. It was momentarily blocked by a closed car that passed by on the track that split the broad thoroughfare that edged the garden.

“We’ll get to do this more after the ballet is through,” he assured her. The story this afternoon had been that Madam P wanted to focus on the background dancers, so Matthew and Eleni, not to mention Matin and other soloists, had been given half the afternoon off.

It was a welcome break, after the stress of the past few days. They had found a lawyer who was willing to file the obstruction, though his fee had been exorbitant. Adam had reached out to Councilor Darkholme in hopes of finding more honest representation, and would speak with the councilor later in the week. 

It had taken a total of 4 days, including a Holday, and had been finalized two days ago. G had immediately returned to the DownMountain, though he would be back Up this afternoon. Eleni didn’t know that, however.

Realizing a shift in Eleni’s mood at his last comment, and he observed her for a moment.

“Are you nervous about the ballet ending?” It was such a large part of their lives at the moment, its abrupt end was jarring. It was a pattern he was used to, but Eleni would be experiencing it for the first time.

She nodded, then reached for his hand.

“Let’s not ruin the moment talking about that. We only have a bit more time before we need to get back.” He squeezed her hand in agreement, suppressing a grin as he thought of why they had to get back, and confident it would improve her mood. In the end.

Eleni, on the other hand, shot him an accusing look when they crossed the threshold of Madam P’s to a cheer of “Happy Birthday!”

“It’s not my birthday,” she muttered so only he could hear as he drew her into the party.

He returned the comment with an arched look that said it didn’t really matter.

Madam P had gone all out; the living room was decorated, there was a catered dinner in the dining room complete with and a large cake. Hulio and G were there, in addition to Adam and Madam P. Bright had wanted to come but hadn’t been able to find a carer for their grandmother. The rest of the Tower gang was waiting to see Eleni the next day, as they had squeezed a couple of hours into their schedule for a special trip. 

G had suggested inviting Travis, but Matthew hadn’t acted on the idea. The young man had shown up at the Summers’ house while G was still UpMountain bound, and it had made for an awkward situation. Not for G and Travis, who had chatted amiable, but for Matthew and Adam who had watched the young prince’s bodyguards roam their house with ill-concealed scorn.

“Happy Birthday!” Madam P announced, beaming. She strode forward to embrace her charge, then pull her into the living room. The others gathered around, while Eleni shifted her glare from her boyfriend to Madam P, who returned it with a look of fond forbearance. The older woman then turned her eyes to Matthew and they shared a satisfied smile. 

“The big 18. You’re an adult now, Elle,” Hulio said boldly.

“Not that that changes much,” Eleni pointed out in response.

“Well, you can officially apply for a position at one of the factories or plantations,” G said grandly, raising his eyebrows to spell out his sarcasm. Madam P made a dismissive sound.

“Eleni is going to be famous jewelry designer, mark my words.” G caught Matthew’s eye in confusion, but Matthew found himself just as bewildered. His attempts to clarify Madam P’s comment were drowned by her calls that it was time to eat before the food got cold. 

They moved into the dining room, and Eleni relaxed and started to enjoy herself as they chatted over their plates of food. The dinner, held in in good company, went by quickly, and then they were singing over the cake to Eleni’s embarrassment. Pieces were cut, and enjoyed, particularly, Matthew noted, by Eleni. She savored hers.

As they were standing and chatting over their plates of cake, Hulio asked how the ballet was coming along, and indicated that he was hoping to attend opening night. Madam P assured him that she would set aside tickets for himself, G and Bright, if they could make it.

Then the topic turned to Hulio, Matthew was happy to learn that the man had a couple of gigs lined up at venues in the Theater District.

“Nice! Elle and I will be there. Elle’s been looking forward to seeing you in concert for months,” he said, grinning in her direction.

“Well, I’ll have some tickets held for you, so long as you let me know the night.”

G bumped Matthew’s arm with his own. “I’m invited too, right?”

“Of course. Let us know the times and places, and we’ll be at every performance.”

“Matthew…” he grinned at his dance teacher’s warning tone. They had little extra time as things stood, but he would nonetheless make his best effort. 

“Any word from _the_ club yet?” G asked, provocatively.

“No, but here’s hoping!” Hulio responded with feeling. Matthew was nodding when Eleni bumped his arm, and he realized she didn’t understand the reference.

“What do you say, Elle? Would you be up for a night at the Hellfire Club?” She made a face.

“Ah, come on!” Hulio objected in mock hurt. “It’d be for me!”

“What’s that?” Adam asked, walking up with a second slice of cake. “Who’s going to the Hellfire Club?”

“Hulio’s hoping to play there,” Matthew explained. “He has some other gigs already lined up.”

“I’d love to do it, but word is they are booked up for months, so it won’t be happening for a while.”

“But don’t they always have the latest and greatest?” G pointed out. “If not, they’re not living up to their reputation. They must get them in somehow.”

“They’ve got enough sway that they can get performers to drop other engagements in favor of performing there,” Hulio informed them. “You know, they snap their fingers and we jump.”

“I’m not surprised to hear that,” Adam muttered, sourly. 

“What do you mean?” Hulio inquired.

“I grew up with Sirah Allerdyce, and her family liked to feel like the world revolves around them. To feel like they made the rules.” Matthew agreed.

“Did you know them well?” Hulio asked, curious.

“My parents knew them better.” The young man moved closer to Matthew’ father, and started asking questions.

Taking advantage of the shift, Matthew pulled Eleni back into the living room. Once there, alone, he pulled out a small box. 

“I know it’s not your real birthday, but I missed that one, so here you go. Happy Birthday.”

Eleni gave him a look when she saw that she again held a box from Tang’s, but he didn’t let that phase him. He wasn’t about to compromised on quality.

She paused for a moment when she pried the top off. Encased in the box within was a delicate silver chain strung into a bed of velvet. The braid of the chain twisted a bit, showing off the subtle sheen of the rare metal.

Eleni looked up.

“You mentioned getting a chain for the ring,” he explained. He had never seen one appear around her neck, which had given him the idea for the present. He found he was holding his breath.

She smiled.

“I love it. It’s so delicate,” she glanced back down as she said this, and he felt her sincerity. His let out a breath. Eleni reached up into her scarf, and a moment later was holding the ring she had taken from Matthew’s finger weeks ago. She eased the chain out of the box and threaded it through the ring.

“Do you mind?” she asked, holding it up to him, and smiling. Taking it, he waited for her to turn around, then happily clasped it around her neck. Turning back, she picked it up, and ran her fingers over the chain.

“It’s beautiful, Matthew. Thank you.” Her smile was shy as she looked at him. “Actually, I have something for you, too.”

“What? My birthday’s not for another month.”

Eleni ignored that comment, and reaching into her pocket she withdrew a small cloth bag. When she pressed it into his hand, he felt there was something rigid within. He looked at her, curious.

“I couldn’t wait,” was all the explanation she gave. 

Pushing a finger into the top of the bag, he pulled the drawstring open and turned the contents out.

It was a wide ring, about a centimeter in width and burnished gold in color. It was made up of thinner bands that were braided back and forth with each other, though there was something irregular about the pattern. 

Matthew turned it in his fingers, following the weave with his eyes.

“Elle, it’s gorgeous.” She grinned.

“There is only one thread in one band. It weaves back and forth on itself to create the pattern, but in truth is one unbroken path. I call it ‘The Endless Dance.’” The last she said quietly, as if she didn’t want anyone else to hear. 

“Did you…did you make this?” he asked, incredulous. 

She nodded shyly. “I took some jewelry making classes when I was younger.” She looked up at him. “Do you like it?” 

“Yes!” He did. It probably wasn’t something he would have picked out himself, but he found the pattern mesmerizing. Eleni took his right hand, and, removing the rings he was wearing, slipped the one she had made over the ring finger there. It fit perfectly.

“Let me see it on you, Matthew!” Madam P had come over, a knowing grin on her face.

“I had to tell her what I was doing in order to get the equipment I needed.” Eleni mumbled under her breath. Madam P gave Eleni a look as she took Matthew’s hand in hers.

“It is just right, Eleni. Unique.” Madam P looked up at Matthew with a slightly condescending grin as she patted his hand. “It suits you.”

“Thank you,” Matthew said, retrieving his hand. He put an arm around Eleni’s waist, and drew her close to him. “And thank you.”

They returned to the party, where G and the others asked what had been going on, and exclaimed over the ring when they saw it.

“When’s the day?” Hulio asked facetiously, referring to the ancient tradition of exchanging rings.

“He hasn’t asked my permission yet,” G said warningly.

“Um…this gesture was from Eleni to Matthew…,” the singer pointed out.

“Doesn’t matter,” G growled definitively, though he looked askance at his ‘sister’. “I’ll have a talk with Elle later.”

“You know, I got something for Elle, too!” Matthew exclaimed, successfully turning the topic to something different.

It came back to haunt him the next afternoon, however, as they made their way through the Sewers on a pre-arranged trip. G never passed up on an opportunity to rib Matthew.

“So, Elle, giving someone a ring. That’s a big deal.” G said, his tone grave to the point of being comical. “This is Matthew Summers we’re are talking about. Are you sure he’s worthy of you?”

Matthew groaned and looked to the side.

“Well, he’s easy on the eyes,” Eleni responded, equally serious. Matthew squeezed his fingers gently against her waist, and she twisted, stifling a laugh.

“Matthew, really! In public?!” G exclaimed. “You see what I mean? Elle, I worried about this from the start. You have been blinded by his beauty. I am one of the few who is immune to his powers of seduction, so long as he doesn’t wear those spectacles, and see it as my duty to caution you.”

“I don’t know, G. You may be immune to Matthew, but Travis is another question all together,” Eleni parried. Matthew glanced at G in surprise.

“I told you he was too young!” he exclaimed, joining in the fun. “G, really, you are undermining your reputation as an authority on decency and proprie—actually, never mind that.”

“Oooohhhhh!” G squealed. “Matthew is growing a sense of humor! Anyway, there is nothing between Travis and myself.”

“That’s what you are hoping for, anyway,” Eleni mumbled. Recalling the last time she had used that turn of phrase, Matthew gave her a disapproving look. She widened her eyes innocently. G was actually speechless for a moment. Then he went serious again.

“Eleni, I may have to consider the possibility that I have been a bad influence on you.” He thought for a minute. “What am I saying? This all came from your association with Matthew.” He dismissed his concerns.  
“Which you are responsible f--.”

“Look, we are here!” Matthew laughed at G’s firm end to the conversation as they walked into the plain stone building that rose up 4 stories in front of them. They were on the very edge of the DownMountain. To their right an unencumbered distance away stood the garage-style doors that led into the air locks. The they stood at building was built into the mountain wall and separated from the surrounding neighborhoods by a large courtyard. Occasionally the court yard would be filled, but in general the ash bank was not a place where people congregated by choice.

Bright was waiting for them by the front entrance. They had found a carer to sit with their grandmother for a short period of time, though they hadn’t had enough time to join everyone at the Towers prior to this excursion. That was where Matthew and Eleni had first gone upon arriving Downmountain.

The greetings were quiet and the mood fell somber as they entered. Stone boxes lined the wall. They went up to the second floor, and G led them halfway down the hall, by numbered rows of boxes, then pointed to a box too high to reach. 

“She’s there,” he said. Matthew had come down for Tara’s funeral, but not accompanied the procession into the ash bank. It was the first time he had been there.

“I’d like us to all say something,” G requested, and everyone nodded.

They gathered around on the floor beneath the box, and G began.

“I miss you, T. Every day. This world doesn’t realize how much it lost when it lost you. But I do. I try to make up for it.” Silence. Then Bright spoke.

“Tara, I remember you telling me that Mr. Janson, who taught math, needed to take a happy pill. Remember, he was always ranting about how hopeless we were? You’d say, ‘He is so unhappy. That can’t be good for him.’ And you were right. He got sourer and sourer and then a few months ago he died, even though he was only 50. I know he died from his own negativity. I always keep that in mind.”

“Really, Janson’s dead?” G murmured. Bright nodded. Then it was Matthew’s turn.

“You had the best smile.” That was all, but G and Bright both hummed in agreement. There was no need to say more. Matthew had found himself remembering Tara’s smile more recently; Eleni looked even more like her when she smiled.

Eleni thought for a minute, looking up at the box.

“Tara, I…I wouldn’t be here if not for you. I am glad I am here. I also wish I could have known you.” Matthew shifted uncomfortably at Eleni’s statement, but G nodded, and he reached over to squeeze Eleni’s shoulder.

“Good can come from bad, but it doesn’t make the bad ok.” Matthew found he didn’t want to follow that line of thought too far. He reached out to take Eleni’s hand as G thanked them all and bid Tara good bye.  
“Happy Birthday, little sis.” Matthew barely heard the words. G was wiping his eyes when he turned to exit down the hall.

They left the building and walked the distance of the courtyard. Here, Matthew and Eleni hugged G and Bright before saying good bye, as they had to get back UpMountain for an evening rehearsal to make up for missing the afternoon.

“We’ll be back at the Tower once this ballet is done,” Matthew said to G. The man slapped his friend’s shoulder.

“Looking forward to it,” G replied, still solemn from his sister’s memorial service.

Matthew held firm to Eleni’s hand as they made the trek back to the train. They didn’t talk much. A block of so from the station, Eleni stopped and looked back. Matthew followed her gaze to see a pregnant young woman looking back at them. When she saw him look, she turned and quickly went on her way.

“Do we know her?” Matthew asked. She looked familiar.

“She’s the one who did the birth proxy program,” Eleni replied quietly. She looked slightly disturbed as they went on. “I guess she went ahead with it.”

“Maybe…she had a change of heart…” Matthew’s stomach felt ill as he tried to put a positive twist on the discomfiting memory.

“Maybe she just needed the credit,” Eleni stated flatly. Then she closed her eyes, and shook her head. “Or maybe you are right. Maybe she just needed some support, to get her through what was done to her, and we gave her that. She had no good choices.” Eleni took a deep breath. “I just hope she was already pregnant, and didn’t go back.” 

When they boarded the train, Matthew put his arms around Eleni, and held her for the duration of the ride.

Less than 24 hours later, Matthew was searching for Eleni who hadn’t been in the auditorium nor the large studio space, and he arrived at the dance school.

It turned out, she was holed up in the office, pouring over some newspapers.

“What’s that?” Matthew asked.

“Just trying to keep abreast of the current discussion points in the UpMountain,” she said lightly, closing the paper and rising to meet him. They kissed, and then kissed some more as Eleni wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

“Hey!” he objected, breathless, as he gently pushed back. “We’re supposed to go dance!”

“I know,” she said regretfully. He wrapped his arms tight about her, and held her close, also wishing they didn’t have to face the rest of the day.

“Why’s Madam P got us in semi-dress?” They separated as he posed this question. The dress he was referring to was the fact that their practice clothes were color coded to their characters, and in some cases embellishments had been added to lend to the illusion of the performance.

“She’s doing to ball scene.” Matthew nodded.

“That’s an improvement. Kind of. I thought she said we were doing the ending today.”

“We still are. She moved that to later. Matin had space in his schedule for a late rehearsal.” Matin was a dancer from one of the other schools whose skin was covered in black scales. His look made him perfect for the role of the evil sorcerer Rothbart, a bit of serendipity as he was one of the top danseurs. In reality, however, Matin was anything but menacing. He was one of the easiest dancers to work with. He actually spoke to both Matthew and Eleni as if they were people sometimes.

“So, I still have to wallow in guilt and agony over the bad choice I made.” Eleni snorted. While there were several potential endings to Swan Lake, Madam P had chosen one of the more tragic ones: the evil sorcerer flying away with the princess, while the prince was left at the banks of the lake to dwell on his failure, alone and for the rest of his life.

“She says it’s more authentic,” Eleni supplied lightly, and Matthew gave her his version of her flat stare. She knew he hated the ending. “And at least that’ll just be you, me and Matin.” 

“Yeah. Well, let’s get through the rest of this first.” As they left the office, Matthew found himself willing the ball scene to go well so it would be over as quickly as possible.

A good portion of the cast was milling around the auditorium when they arrived, and a minute later, when Madam P entered, Master Trenaw called them to the stage. 

Things were going well, in Matthew’s opinion, when halfway through they were interrupted.

“Madam Pietrovich! Master Trenaw,” one of the dancers sitting in the audience hissed loud enough for everyone to hear, and the dance instructor waved for the music to be stopped. 

It appeared that someone had entered through the rear doors of the theater, but that was not unusual. People could come and go until the dress rehearsals started, then they were asked to stay away until the performance. Matthew peered down the dark aisles between the seats at a small group of people coming closer, and his blood ran cold as he recognized their visitor.

“Lady Tracy!” Master Trenaw’s voice verged on reverent, and the man bowed deeply. Madam P echoed him in a far more rational tone, and gave a polite bob that flowed throughout the cast as people recognized who had arrived. The handful of people in the audience were all standing.

Tracy, flanked by two bodyguards, strode forward as if she owned the place. Someday she essentially would, Matthew reminded himself bitterly. As she walked, flashes of a high collared grey shirt, snug beige slacks, and high tight-fitting boots were visible. The long back coat she wore over the ensemble covered most of it, however. With a wide collar and flared bottom, it bordered on eccentric, but Tracy pulled it off.

Matthew checked on Eleni’s reaction, and found her calm. Despite the fact that she was on the opposite side of the stage from him and towards the back, he started to edge his way in her direction.

“Lady Tracy, what brings you to our presence?” Madam P inquired as the younger woman surveyed the cast and nodded graciously.

“Master Trenaw, am I correct?” the future Head said to the male director, ignoring the inquiry Madam P had made.

“Uh, y-yes my lady. I have the honor of directing this show. Or co-directing,” the man’s nervousness was cringe worthy. Tracy graced him with a wide smile.

“I am happy to hear that. No doubt you will be able to salvage what is left after the loss of Jenna Frost.”

“Uh…yes, my lady,” the man made to engage her in further conversation, but she sailed by him and mounted the stairs at the side of the stage. Madam Pietrovich watched her approach from the top where she had been giving direction a moment before. Tracy nodded as she passed, but didn’t greet the esteemed woman.

“Lady Tracy,” Madam P spoke nonetheless, “is there something we can help you with?”

“What? Oh, I just came to see how things are going after all that…excitement. I won’t be long.” Tracy’s tone was dismissive, and Matthew felt his lip curling at the repeated insult to his mentor. And she wasn’t done. Tracy finally turned to face the older woman. “It really is quite a disappointment. To be honest, I see it as a slight to my uncle. He has been a loyal patron all these years. And to cause such a scene in return is poor repayment of his favor.”

Madam P stood stiff. Dancer’s shifted on the stage.

“These matters are private to the dance school. They were handled according to our rules.”

Tracy made a doubtful sound in the back of her throat as she again turned away. To look straight at Matthew.

“Ah, the valiant prince. With friends in low places. Fitting in a way. Swamps, sewers…” Not a few members of the cast tittered. “How are you, Matthew Summers?”

“Well, Lady Tracy.” She raised her eyebrows, another doubtful gesture.

“And where is your…bird?” This time the cast members responded with outright laughter.

“She’s hiding over here, Lady Tracy,” someone called out, and a path cleared to the back of the stage where Eleni stood alone. The revealing black leotard and tights of her Odile semi-dress made her look exposed and vulnerable. Matthew took several strides forward.

“You’re saving the wrong princess, Summers!” came another yell.

“Really, Matthew. There is no need to be alarmed.” Tracy said in a calming tone. “We are old friends, are we not?” Tracy glanced at Eleni, who was looking sternly at Matthew. He stopped, though he remained unhappy with the situation “What was it again? Elayne?” 

“Close enough, Lady Tracy,” Eleni responded calmly. Matthew tensed and took another step forward, but Eleni gave him another look that stopped him.

Tracy had narrowed her eyes.

“Ah, no, Elay-_nee_,” she sneered the last syllable, “that’s right. I read something about you recently. What…what was your ability again?” She had cocked her head as if trying to recall something that barely merited remembering.

“I am a dancer,” came the slightly condescending reply. Matthew closed his eyes. He didn’t think Eleni knew what she was doing.

“Languages,” he cut in as Madam P also tried to waylay the disaster.

“Lady Tracy, we really must get back to rehearsal.”

Tracy lazily looked back first at Matthew then Madam P.

“I’ll only be a moment more,” she looked to Eleni again. “Yes, languages. Hm.” She glanced away for a moment, then back. “You know, you ignored my invitation.”

There was a pause, then a breeze of whispers swept across the stage.

“I thought it was given in jest. My lady,” Eleni replied in cautious tones. Cautious save for her delay before the title, which did nothing but show she thought of Tracy as anything but her future liege.  
Bodies shifted on the stage, and Matthew suddenly felt that his advice to Eleni to avoid Tracy may have been shortsighted. 

“An unfortunate interpretation,” the dark-haired woman replied, and the moment seemed ready to implode. Everything on the stage was focused on the two figures; Tracy in her coat, Eleni in her Odile semi-dress. Black matched black, and blue eyes locked on blue. Matthew didn’t know whether Eleni’s bravado was admirable or stupidity incarnate. Her chin tilted back slightly, raising the challenge and making the metallic accents in the black scarf on her head gleam.

Then Tracy turned away, and the moment was broken. Matthew felt a surge of satisfaction from Eleni, though he didn’t share in her victory. Tracy made her way slowly back to the stairs and down. At the bottom, she spoke again.

“Master Trenaw, I look forward to the next performance under your _sole_ direction. I won’t be attending any ballet performances until that time.”

Eleni’s satisfaction dissipated, and Matthew had the secondhand feeling of being punched in the stomach, followed by a deep guilt.

He looked at Madam P, who stood, stiff, her face impervious, and surveyed the dancers before her. Matthew had a sinking feeling she was deciding who was most likely to leave the ensemble in the wake of Tracy’s pronouncement. And leading from that, whether there would be a performance at all.

The door to the auditorium swung closed. The dance teacher wasted no time.

“Any who wish to leave, do so now. I have booked the Grand Theater, and intend to hold the performance there. If you do not wish to perform on that stage, I will not seek to dissuade you.”

Matthew was faintly shocked by the news that she had judged their performance good enough for that venue; Adam had surely known and hadn’t breathed a word of it. Madam P, no doubt, had been saving it to make a big announcement that would further motivate the cast. Now, however, it would hopefully be enough to salvage the performance.

From the corner of his eye, Matthew saw two people start to move, both individuals who held smaller roles. No doubt, there were others, and the telepath felt his stomach plummet with disappointment.   
But then they stopped. They were eyeing Matin, and the performers who had more prominent roles in the ballet. Except for Matthew and Eleni, that is. None of those dancers moved. 

Matin stepped forward.

“Madam P, I have been looking forward to the honor of dancing in a production of yours for months. And now you offer us the opportunity to dance on the stage of the Grand Theater. I sincerely hope that nothing endangers that possibility.” 

Matthew felt a rush of gratitude, and he noted Madam P’s head tipped up a bit. She nodded at the dancer.

“And I feel as honored to be working with a talented dancer such as yourself, Matin. Thank you.”

Another pause. No one left the stage.

“Well then, let’s get back to rehearsal, shall we?”

The rest of the rehearsal was agonizing, and several dancers were chastised for making movements when they weren’t supposed to. Movements that could have interfered with Eleni’s performance, though that was never pointed out. Matthew felt fury banked inside him, caged by common sense and anxiety.

He hoped Madam P would let them go after the ball scene, and put the practice with Matin off, but she didn’t.

“You all did well today. I appreciate your commitment. I will see you tomorrow. Eleni, Matthew and Matin, please remain behind.”

In spite of Matthew’s reluctance, the rest of the rehearsal felt normal for once, and eviscerated the remaining pall Tracy’s visit had cast over the day. For a brief moment it was just four people working together to bring the art they loved to the highest level they could achieve. Matin’s exhausted face even bore a smile of satisfaction at the end of their rehearsal. He approached Madam P as she made to leave.

“Madam Pietrovich! Please, I just wanted to say again what an honor it is to work with an artist of your caliber. I will remember this experience for the rest of my life.” 

“Thank you, Matin. Keep up your dedication, and you will go far. I can promise you that. All the dance instructors are impressed with your ability.” The young man glowed at the praise, and excused himself to go change. 

Madam P watched him go, and the expression of sadness on her face was unmistakable. Matthew caught Eleni turning unhappily away, and reached out to stop her. Putting an arm around her, he walked them over to the teacher. He couldn’t stand seeing either of them so unhappy, and gave a try at cheering them up.

“Madam P, Matin has put me in my place. I have always had the privilege of working with you through Adam. I may not have voiced it but I have always known the value of that.”

The teacher smiled. “I know, Matthew. You have communicated your appreciation through your dedication.” She observed him for a moment. “And it has been my privilege to see you grow in your dancing, from a desperate boy into a true artist.” Matthew ducked his head, feeling his cheeks flush. “I will see you in the kitchen.” 

“What did she mean?” Eleni asked him as they made their own way to the changing rooms. “’A desperate boy’?” Matthew ran his hand over his curls, which were bound back in a few small bunches, slightly embarrassed.

“I was a bit of a mess when I first came here. Adam taught me to dance in an effort to calm me down, and it worked.” Eleni nodded compassion in her eyes, but Matthew didn’t bring up the reason he had been such a distraught 5-year-old. He joked, trying to keep the mood light. “But apparently my dancing was quite…distinctive, when I started.” 

Even G remembered that time, Matthew recalled with a smile. He remembered dancing for G and Tara DownMountain, eager to show them the new skill that he could pour himself into, the new experience where he could embrace the pain and, in doing so, and lessen it. 

Then the memory was replaced by a clinical room, where Matthew was strapped down to a table with someone looming over him.

“Adam and Madam P didn’t know, right? About your mother?” Eleni’s comment brought Matthew back before he could recall anything further. Or before he could feel the emotions associated with that place. Instinctively taking in a deep breath, he mentally moved himself away from whatever the recollection had been, and focused on Eleni’s question.

Eleni’s brow was wrinkled.

“I’m sorry. If you don’t want to talk about it…” Matthew dismissed her concern.

“No. It’s ok. They didn’t know. Don’t know, that is. I don’t think I ever said anything.” He paused. “And, Elle, I’m still not sure I’ll tell them, so please don’t bring it up.” She nodded. 

“It does help,” Eleni said a moment later, and Matthew’s mind stumbled to interpret her comment. Then he remembered the first time he had seen her dance, and the emotions that had bled from her performance. He put his arm around her shoulders, and squeezed as they approached the changing rooms.

A short while later, sitting around the table in Madam P’s kitchen, the teacher brought up her decision to retire from dancing.

“Eleni. Matthew. I know this is easier said than done, but I don’t want you to feel responsible for my decision. Or any of the treatment we are receiving. The truth is, after Katyana died, dancing changed for me. It is something I still loved, but I no longer found the inspiration in it that I once did.” The teacher sighed and gave a small flourish with her hand to punctuate her next words. “I once felt that it could change things.” This comment was followed by a small laugh.

“That is not silly, Madam P,” Matthew said seriously.

“No, no, it’s not. I know. That emotion had its purpose. It made me a star. It created a bond between myself and my daughter.” The teachers took a deep breath in, and sighed again, heavily. “She could still be performing at the Grand Theater, even now. She was exquisite, and her ambition matched my own. I didn’t birth her, but she was my daughter, my match, in every way.” Tears now made the teacher’s eyes glitter. Eleni moved around the table, and sitting down next to the older woman, embraced her. Madam P accepted the embrace, but when they separated she continued.

“That all changed once she was gone. I had chosen dance as my career and did not lose my desire to share it, but I no longer had the inspiration the professional performances demand. So, I focused on the school. But seeing the two of you,” Madam P took Eleni’s face in her hands, and looked back and forth between her charge and Matthew, “it reminds me of the times with Katyana. I wish to experience this to the fullest, and then step back. It is time. And it is not like I will completely cut dancing out of my life, it will always be a part of me. But it will no longer be the total sum of my days.” Here her eyes stayed on Eleni. “There are other things that inspire me now.”

Eleni dropped her head to the teacher’s shoulder as they embraced again. Matthew felt a wave of sadness and guilt from her. 

The rest of the dinner was subdued. After they had finished cleaning up and Madam P excused herself, Eleni caught Matthew’s hand.

“Stay for a bit?” Her arms moved to his waist, and she stepped close to him.

“I wish I could,” he murmured, taking in her face. “This university workload is going to be the end of me.” 

Eleni’s disappointment was clear through the bond, and Matthew tried to change the topic so he wasn’t leaving on that sentiment.

“Eleni, it is not your fault what is happening. Madam P is strong, she can take it.”

Eleni shook her head, pushing aside his concern as she released him and stepped back.

“Don’t worry about that. I don’t like the situation, but she has my commitment, so long as I can give it.” She looked to the side, and made a sound of irritation. “And the dancing is the only thing that is going right at the moment, anyway.”

“That’s not true,” Matthew murmured, pulling her close again, though he said no more than that. Eleni said nothing in return, but her arms circled him and she held him tight.

A few minutes later, he was on his way home to read until he fell asleep.

The next day brought some rare good news.

“Greystone Darkholme himself will be our representation,” Adam announced at the dinner table. 

Matthew had known that Councilor Darkholme’s husband was a lawyer, but he hadn’t expected the man would take a case such as this. 

“Were you two friends?” Matthew asked, referring to his father’s youthful days in the spotlight. Adam shook his head.

“He attended Shaw when I was at Pryde, and his family kept out of the circles, but I do know he is well respected. He hasn’t had many high-profile cases, as this one is sure to be, but that doesn’t seem to phase him.” Adam nodded to himself several times as he listed this information. He seemed to be convincing himself that everything was going to work out just fine.

“That sounds great, dad. I can’t wait to tell G and Elle.”

“He’s reviewing the details, and will be in touch once he’s caught up. I thought we might have them over for dinner.” 

“Elle and G? Sure!”

“Well, yes, they are always welcome. I was actually talking about the Darkholmes.” Adam looked at Matthew at this point, “It would give us a chance to get to know him better, and you could talk with the Councilor about where your studies might take you. There is no doubt she will want you on her team, as you are interested in DownMountain management. You may even get an internship out of it. I’ve suggested they come next Holday, and am waiting to hear back.” 

Matthew nodded. His father made some good points.

“You’re right, Dad. Let’s do that.”

**EBONY**

“At least you have us going in a covered vehicle. We can save some grace that way, and remind Summers of what he cast off.”

“Mr. Summers,” Ebony’s mother replied coolly to her comment. “And when did we raise you to be such a snob?”

“Not a snob, mom. Just someone who understands how things work. Because you taught me.” Ebony checked her outfit, slacks with a draped top, a subtle nod to the latest fashion. “Speaking of which, what is dad’s charity case going to do for us, anyway? He better have gotten a good deal on our future wine deliveries, as I can’t think of anything else Adam Summers can offer.”

“And can you even consider that I’m not doing this to enrich us somehow?” her father asked dryly, as he came in to the foyer to wait with them. His tone was similarly disapproving, but Ebony simply met his gaze, gold for gold and didn’t allow herself to be chastised. 

She got much of her looks from the man: the same near back skin in addition to the golden eyes. She shaved off the hair that he had perfectly coiffed in to a silky display. They also shared the ability to teleport. In this moment, however, she found there was little more she wanted to share with him.

“There is something known as compassion,” he continued, unfortunately. “And an understanding when a system is failing. The military has clearly overstepped its bounds. We have never heard of someone in pain due to their testing. And most definitely not repeatedly.”

Ebony looked away, uncomfortably aware that what her father said was true.

“Ebony, you don’t have to come tonight,” her mother pointed out.

“And why are all of us going anyway?” Ebony countered. “Why are you going?”

Her parents shared a look, and Ebony held her breath. She was still parsing out her mother’s reaction to her father taking the case, and suspected the woman hadn’t anticipated him getting so involved when she had referred him to give the Summers’ limited advice.

Perhaps she should have recalled that Ebony’s paternal grandmother had been born on the Wastelands.

“It is wise to keep up a united front,” was all the answer she got, and it did little to assuage her irritation.

“We’re ready!” called a breathless voice, and Ebony’s two younger sisters pounded down the wide and curved staircase. “We would have been done sooner if Ebb had helped us with our hair.” Ebony refrained sticking her tongue out at her sister’s comment. Normally she loved twisting her sisters’ hair in to braids or buns of all sizes; both had inherited their mother’s thick wooly curls, a source of endless envy for their elder sister. Tonight, however, she had been preoccupied.

“This is a dinner on the boring side of the city. Nothing worth going all out for.” She said instead. 

“But we might see Jalisa!” Raven’s golden eyes seemed to glow with the possibility, though Opal rolled her own brown eyes at their middle sister’s excitement. “Do you think she’ll be there?”

“No.” Ebony said firmly and hoping she was right. At a recent party, she had discovered that the woman in question lived up to her reputation. While Ebony had managed to extricate herself before things went anywhere interesting, the woman’s charm had made it none too easy. No matter what other couples did, she had no intention of being untrue to Craig: she wanted a partnership based on mutual trust and respect, as well as attraction, just like her parents had.

“The covered car is here,” the doorman announced, and Ebony and her family exited the large, airy hall. A half hour or so later they were pulling up in front of a humble abode that Ebony estimated could nearly fit in the foyer they had just left.

“It’s so small. And you can see into the neighbor’s windows!” Opal said in a scandalized whisper, as if they were already in the presence of the Summers’ family that lived in such embarrassing circumstances.

“Just think of it as your introduction to middle class living,” Ebony replied snidely, and ignored the disapproving looks she received from her parents as she disembarked from the car.

“Welcome, and thank you for coming!” Adam said grandly as he guided them into an entry was that little more than a broom closet. Even knowing what he had cast off, Ebony was shocked, though she hid it behind a façade of cool assessment. 

In front of them, a narrow staircase edged straight up a wall, until it turned abruptly and disappeared into the darkness. To its side a narrow hallway led down to end in a wall, with openings on the left into small rooms, the first of which they entered. Ebony assumed it was a living room, though it opened almost immediately into what was clearly a dining area, tracking towards the back of the house. 

The couches were of a good brand, and the decorations were tasteful, but again Ebony was stuck by the _smallness_ of everything. She wondered if Adam Summers had had similar difficulties, when he moved into this home. Everyone knew the Summers’ ancestral home was the Hellton Estate, which was now occupied by the Proudstars. It was one of the few homes that came approached the grandeur of the Lensherr Residence. Ebony had been in it once, and it had lived up to its reputation: everything had been gilded in gold. Real gold.

The scandal of Adam leaving that behind still stung in the circles, for the stories of the noteworthy balls and parties given in that glistening abode lingered. Even with the same mansion, the Proudstars had not been able to meet that legend, and many simply accepted it as a talent of the Summers’ family. One that was now, apparently, lost.

Standing in the middle of the tiny room was Matthew Summers his arm casually wrapped around the waist of Eleni Jones. Two friends of theirs, the fat one and a young man who Ebony couldn’t quite place, sat on one of the couches.

“Ebony,” Matthew said warmly, and the young woman found he had come up to her, somehow without tripping over the furniture. Ebony returned the greeting and accepting his offer of a drink.

It appeared the Summer’s had catered in, and that the dinner would be fairly casual, with everyone making up a plate of food and sitting where they liked. _Smart_, Ebony thought, as it would allow for more private conversations. That had no doubt been Adam’s intent. 

Everyone got some food and drink, and separated in to smaller groups. To no one’s surprise, Adam, the fat man and her father settle themselves at one end of the dining room table, though Ebony was happy to see her mother keep her distance. The woman had engaged Matthew in conversation, and Eleni had stayed by his side, though her eyes frequently drifted towards the table.

Ebony’s sisters had engaged the unknown young man, and, curious as to why he seemed familiar, Ebony went to join them.

“Ebb, this is Hulio Kim! You know, the singer?” she ignored her sister’s patronizing comment, and smiled at the young man. 

“The man who sings "Too Late for Love"? That is a classic in the making.” Hulio grinned, but it wasn’t giddy and Ebony, sensing someone who ‘got it’, settled herself into the group.

Hulio proved not only that he ‘got it’, but he was willing to use it. By the end of the conversation, Ebony had more or less promised to put a word in with Joey Allerdyce, who was in her grade. It had been an invigorating conversation.

Canvassing the tiny rooms to see what had changed, Ebony saw that the group at the table had broken up, and the fat man had joined Matthew and Eleni. Her mother, thankfully, was not part of that group. Ebony watched them for a moment, as she rarely saw Matthew and his sewer rat together these days. 

The woman was clear relaxed with him and enjoying herself. More relaxed, at least, than prior to their break up around the Solstice. Nonetheless, Ebony still got the sense that Eleni held herself apart; it was not dissimilar from the distance the dancer placed between herself and their classmates at school. This is why the happiness, clear between the two lovers, made Ebony’s eyes narrow. She wondered if Matthew Summers realized that the woman on her arm could walk away at any moment, and not look back.

Dismissing a concern that wasn’t really hers, she spotted her father finishing a plate of food with Opal at the table. Raven was still gushing over Hulio, and there was no sign of their mother. Or Adam. 

Curious, Ebony left the group on the premise of finding the bathroom. She drifted towards the back of the house, and to her satisfaction caught a mumble of voices speaking on the other side of the wall at the end of the entry hall. Finding one benefit to such a small house, she confirmed that the outcropping behind her hid her loitering, then strained to catch what she could of the conversation.

“…cannot become involved in this case in anyway. You know that, Adam. Greystone picking it up is already causing problems.”

“No, no you misunderstand. I get the whole public front. I don’t live that life anymore, but I remember it. I am grateful for what your husband is doing for us, and would not seek to compromise your position any further. But, you have indicated you are sympathetic, and…”

“And?” her mother’s tone held little patience.

“…well, you did date the Head, once upon a time. There were even rumors that you were engaged. I know you have private conversations with the man—”

“As _all_ the Barons do,” her mother interjected. Adam was unphased.

“If you were to put a subtle word into a private conversation, it wouldn’t do any harm…”

“Adam,” Yanella’s tone had turned from irritated to exhausted. “I cannot make a relationship into something it is not. It is unlikely I have that kind of sway. You must know that.” 

“I understand, Yanella. Of course. But we are talking about an innocent young man with his life ahead of him. And we know the outcome once he is no longer beholden to the military: he will return DownMountain and this will quickly fade from the public memory. There is very little risk for yourself, or _him_.”

“That may be, Adam, but I did not win a seat on the Council of Barons though casually spending my political capital. I have heard your comment.” The man had brain enough to stop pursuing the conversation there, and they left the room to return to the rest of the party.

Ebony finally, and somewhat numbly, entered the bathroom, which she had been standing in front of while listening to this exchange. She didn’t spare a disparaging thought for the fact that one side of the ceiling angled in because the small room was squeezed in under the stairs. Nor did she dwell on Adam’s sneering tone at his reference to the man who ruled their kingdom, or her mother’s reaction to their host’s somewhat audacious suggestion. No, there was only one sentence that lingered in her ears.

_“There were even rumors that you were engaged.”_

Her mother had not denied this statement, as improbable as it was. Which suggested it was true. And, yet, Ebony had never heard of her mother being engaged to the Head, or that they had even dated.

And while that in itself was rather shocking, it still wasn’t what cut into Ebony’s emotional state, which she was now struggling to manage. Her parents had met in school at the age she was now. They had started dating not long after meeting, and had been married while both were in university. Theirs was one of the few steadfast couplings of the UpMountain and evidence that love could be enduring. It was a part of Ebony’s reality that she secretly cherished, and hoped to emulate in her own life. 

And apparently that story had been, at least in part, a lie.

She knew it was irrational, but try as she might, Ebony couldn’t completely eradicate the sense of dread that had taken root in her stomach.

**CITADEL 3021.03.29**

Dave settled into the plush chair as he took in his luxurious surroundings. Not dissimilar from his mother’s place, he decided, though the color scheme was darker, with rich magenta accents.

“Who’s in the house?” he asked in a quiet voice to Sanida who was sitting on a couch to his left. Natal sat next to her, and Eresh sat facing Dave on another couch on the far side.

“A few servants, and my sister. She sticks to herself, usually listening to music.” Dave had just learned that Sanida’s eldest sister was “different”, and still lived with her parents, even though she was in her mid-twenties, and nearly past marrying age.

“Where are your parents?”

“They are out at an art gala where my cousin is being featured.” Sanida gave him a dry look, picking up on his concern. “We don’t do this often, but it’s worked every time. Natal and I are as good as engaged, so we are allowed some time alone, and my parents believe that having acquaintances across the social groups of the city is not a bad thing.” This comment clearly concerned Eresh, though Dave wondered if it applied to himself as well. 

“And the servants?”

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. A woman about their age entered bearing a tray laden with finger food and a pot of tea. The air suddenly burst with fragrance.

“The darjeeling?” Natal asked in a pleased tone.

“It’s your favorite,” she confirmed with a fond smile.

“Sanida always makes sure we have your favorites, Natal,” the servant said, clearly familiar and comfortable with the family who employed her. Dave’s parents had never kept full time servants, having their separate and relatively small households. Aside from weekly cleaners who also managed the laundry, and his mother’s cook, there were no other people in the townhouse or the penthouse.

“Thank you, Anya. You’ll be heading home?” Sanida said, and the woman nodded and tried to suppress a smile that she couldn’t. Sanida leaned towards Dave, a playful look on her face. “She just got married,” she said in a loud whisper.

“Sani!” Anya exclaimed in an embarrassed tone. “There is no need to bother Mister Kelly with that information.

“She’s the worst, isn’t she?” Eresh interjected in an aside to Anya.

“Indeed,” the woman responded, making it apparent she was also familiar with Eresh. “Well then, I’ll be going. Your parents said they would be late. Sahil is in the kitchen as usual.”

“Thank you, Anya. Have a good night.”

“You too, Sanida.”

The woman left, and to Dave’s slight surprise Eresh bent to pour the tea as Natal switched to the couch beside him.

“It’s his thing,” Sanida said airily, and Eresh blushed slightly as he passed a cup balanced on a saucer to Dave. 

Once everyone had a cup either in hand on in reach, they sat back and settled in. The other three struck up a comfortable conversation, or, to be more specific, Sanida and Natal did. Eresh remained fairly quiet. Nonetheless, with the chatter Dave found himself exhaling into a sort of ease he hadn’t known in a long time. He savored the comfort of just sitting with friends. Not comfortable enough, he noted to himself, to confide in them about his recent doubts. 

Not that he would want to bring that up with Eresh around, or even Natal, but he hadn’t mentioned it to Sanida in the odd moments they had had alone. He felt like he was searching, or waiting, for something.

Coming back to himself as he leaned forward to set his teacup down, Dave pushed these unsolvable thoughts aside and considered the couple sitting across from him. Eresh had edged slightly closer to Natal when the man had joined him, but they weren’t touching. Having a new person around was no doubt the source of their caution, Dave realized: trusting the wrong person could lead to death for one or both of them. A chill passed down Dave’s back.

“They’re adorable together, aren’t they Dave?” Sanida nearly cooed. Dave just stared at her for a moment, managing the non sequitur to his current thinking. Sanida thought the reaction was a suggestion that the comment was out of character for her, which it was to some extent. She took offence. “What, you think I’m incapable of sentimentality or something? It has its place.”

“Sani compartmentalizes it,” Natal inserted. “She cries at every sentimental movie.”

“There’s no need for you to share that,” came the pointed retort. Eresh smiled a laugh and looked down at his tea.

The conversation veered to the mundane again, though Dave saw Eresh’s eyes flash in his direction. That was when he realized he hadn’t said anything, and that his silence could be taken in several ways, many of them negative.

Not wishing to begin a relationship with a potential ally with uncertainty, he spoke into the first break in the conversation.

“So, how did you two meet?” Dave asked. He had wondered from time to time how his father and Kurt had connected. It had been easy to discover that they were in medical school together: his father kept his graduation yearbook on a prominent shelf in the penthouse, and there was a picture of just-adult Kurt Wagner, pages away from a young and beaming Robert Kelly.

But even with that forced proximity, Dave hadn’t understood what had brought them together. He recalled well the day he realized his stomach felt funny when he looked at Eleni, and he had wanted nothing more than for her to feel the same when she looked at him. Was it the same?

Natal almost shrugged inward at the question, clearly embarrassed, but Eresh’s face showed only shy delight.

“I work at a coffee shop. Natal used to stop by there every day.”

“It was on my way to Keio,” Natal inserted, though it sounded more like an explanation than an addition to the story. Eresh glanced at his boyfriend fondly.

“It was just looks at first. You know, neither of us really knew if the other was really looking back. Then one day he came in, not in his uniform, it must have been a weekend, and I told him…I told him he looked good.” Natal looked to the side, and Dave had the impression that the man was blushing. 

“We don’t need to get into details…”

“Yes, we do! I’ve never heard this part before,” Sanida insisted. Dave shifted slightly in his seat.

“He blushed. Clear as day,” Eresh laughed slightly at the memory, a sound imbued with fondness. “I worried I’d gone too far, but he came back and things were different. And then one day, he asked if I wanted to hang out with him and another friend later on. I was kind of nervous, but it turned out that the other friend was Sanida, and the rest is history.” He spread his hands encompassing everyone in order to punctuate the explanation.

“Yes, and now we are involving you in radical political action. Not exactly what you bargained for, I’m sure,” Sanida said, a clear attempt to point the conversation at the reason they were here this night, though her tone was playful.

“Speaking of politics,” Natal cut in a bit abruptly, but for once it didn’t put Dave off. He hadn’t been ready to have that conversation yet, either. “Have you heard that the Greens have amassed a decent following in Bloc 4? There is significant concern about the factories built off that segment, and their effect on the air quality there,” Natal’s comment hit Dave’s awareness distantly, and he responded with the same detachment.

“My father is part of the coalition dealing with that issue. They’ve been working on it for far longer, though you are right in that the Greens pulled a PR stunt there. The coalition is campaigning to remind those people of who has been working for them all this time.”

Natal shook his head in disapproval.

“It’s never good to be playing defense. They shouldn’t have left that opening. The last thing we need is the crazy Greens gaining more power.” Though Dave agreed with parts of Natal’s assessment, he didn’t let on.  
“Perhaps you don’t like the reductions in the military-tech branches and their surveillance of what’s on your computer?” he said instead, highlighting one of his father’s greatest achievements. Natal’s eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Eresh spoke.

“I have a lot of respect for what your father has achieved,” Eresh inserted quietly. 

“Thank you. I’ll pass that along when I see him next,” Dave replied, honest though he had no idea when he’d see his father next. He had a sudden and irrational impulse to share with Eresh and Natal that his father was also homosexual, but held it in. 

He sought the root of his burst of sympathy, and came to once again to the danger Natal and Eresh could face for expressing their love for each other. Of course, his father faced the same risk, but it had never affected Dave as it did now. He recalled he had accepted his father’s sexual preference at a relatively young age, and supposed that he had subconsciously accepted the danger as something distant, or something from which to distance himself. 

But it wasn’t distant: it was sitting right in front of him. Just as it had sat next to him for all those years. And it wasn’t just danger, it was living half a life. It was living with loneliness. It was living in fear. 

“Do you think they will make any more headway on that?” Eresh asked. Dave shrugged as he focused back on the conversation.

“The ‘tech freedom’ caucus will continue their efforts. Historical precedent is not heartening, of course, so progress will continue to be slow,” he responded, referring to the original experiment, the ‘internet’, which had been riddled with digital sinkholes fostering the most perverse of human ambitions. 

“That is for the best,” Sanida said. “We don’t want to recreate the disasters of the past.”

Eresh looked away.

“You don’t agree?” Dave inquired, taking another sip of his tea. The tall man set his own cup and saucer down on the table. He gestured with is hand, and elegant movement.

“It is not a simple situation. However, the fact that they can reach into any of our lives so easily is unnerving.”

Natal dismissed Eresh’s concerns with a wave of his own hand.

“They never do that.” 

“They do it more when you are not a member of the elite,” Eresh responded quietly.

Dave considered Eresh and his comment while Sanida’s brow furrowed.

“That can’t be true,” she said. Eresh’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if he flinched at her words. He shrugged as Dave spoke.

“As elites, we have more collateral to use against the military should a search be discovered. They are going to be more careful of stepping on our toes,” he pointed out. Eresh met his eyes, and Dave knew the man was measuring him.

Sanida and Natal were quiet for a moment.

“Yes, I see your logic there,” Sanida allowed. “But I highly doubt it happens.”

Eresh looked away again.

“Anyway,” Sanida continued, redirecting them again, “as we have moved onto controversial political topics, we might as well discuss the one we are here for tonight. Mutants, and possibly pursuing mutant amnesty.”  
“Possibly?” Dave took exception. “I thought that was the _goal_.”

“Natal called it a fool’s errand,” Eresh inserted quietly. The room fell silent for a moment, as Natal opened his mouth to speak indignantly. 

Then Dave started to laugh.

“Are you ok?” Sanida asked, while Natal closed his mouth and smoothed his face. Eresh had looked down at his comment, but now his eyes flickered upwards and caught Dave’s. A smile played on his own lips.

Dave brought himself under control. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what had been so funny about the comment, but something about Eresh’s intonation had simultaneously gutted Natal’s sentiment and empowered the inverse. And it had turned Dave around.

“Sorry, I don’t know what got into me there,” he said, wiping his eyes. “But let’s be clear that we _are_ working towards this fool’s errand.” He spread his hands towards Sanida and Natal in supplication. “Otherwise, what have we been doing all these months? Can we be honest about it?”

They had the decency to looked ashamed.

“We want to petition for mutant amnesty,” Sanida restated.

“If we’re being honest, I’m still not 100% on board, but I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing,” Natal chimed in, to no surprise. Dave got ready to turn to business, in spite of the fact that he wondered if he was in the same position as Natal, when Eresh spoke.

“You’re not sure about saving the lives of babies?”

“Well…I…that’s not what I was saying,” Natal stuttered.

Eresh held his boyfriend’s eyes, and Dave found himself similarly disquieted by the quiet question.

“_You_ are sure, though,” he heard himself saying to Eresh. It took a moment for the man across from him to pick up his meaning.

“They murder babies every day. What’s not to be sure about? And it’s not just babies, sometimes it’s kids, adults, parents, even an occasional grandparent.”

Dave sensed the man was no longer talking only about mutants, but what he said was nonetheless true. 

“Exactly,” Dave whispered as he felt himself nod.

“It’s not as simple as that,” Natal began, but Dave didn’t let him finish.

“You’re right, it’s not. But if we lose sight of this basic fact then we have already lost our campaign.” Dave breathed deeply. “It doesn’t take much to extend Eresh’s point to encompass the entire Citadel,” he pointed out quietly. “We are doing this for those who are murdered so blindly and brutally, we are doing this for all those who are hurt as a result, but we are also doing this for the rest. Because someday they or their children might be those who are murdered or hurt. And because it will allow this city to reclaim its basic humanity which has insisted on denying for far too long.”

Sanida was nodding at his words, while Natal stared at him. Eresh studied his face.

“If you are leading this, I’m with you,” he said, though Dave knew that his own words had only come because of Eresh’s own quiet courage to see the truth.

A short while later, Dave was shaking hands and giving a brief goodbye embrace to Sanida. He gripped Eresh’s hand firmly, trying to convey some of his gratitude.

As he walked out, however, he himself tried to pinpoint what exactly had happened.

Thoughts of his father and Eleni crowded his mind. They had both lived in danger, and he had never let that truth touch him. No doubt, the elaborate lie his father had created had encouraged that situation, but it was no excuse now.

Eresh knew that danger intimately. He lived it as well, as did Natal. And yet, he saw the more clearly of any of them the wrong being done all around them. Further, he was willing to help them try and change it, though he didn’t have the safety net of money or power to buffer any fall that the rest of them did.

Shame and admiration danced within Dave, and he started to understand.

He saw how the emotion that had led him to this cause had been indignation cloaked in grief. The slow realization of that, combined with the contrast of his mother’s misguided campaign, had revealed the murky ground upon which his beliefs stood.

In contrast, Eresh’s committment, as quiet as he was, was like a beacon of pure light, cutting to the heart of the matter in its blinding simplicity.

Dave knew he could be that too. But first he had to stop avoiding the truth.

He had to admit that Eleni had lived but a shadow of a life. That he had been unpredictable comfort for her, no matter how he professed his love. That he had ignored the threats that surrounded her, and told himself that making her happy was enough. And his gut told him, she had understood this situation all too well.

He wondered why she had taken him back that last time, and saw that there were dark unknowns in their relationship that had made it incomplete. And now, he would never get another chance to bridge those gaps.

Holding back tears, he reached his dorm, and made his way to his private room on the top floor. It was just like the one his father had had before him, and his grandfather before them. It was a perk of being elite and having a parent and many other relatives, alive and dead, who had attended the same institution. 

He pulled out the box of pictures, now secured in a metal box with a key he always kept on himself. Sitting on the side of his bed, he flipped through them, and searched his memory for at least one incident that could prove what he was realizing wrong, that he had at times met the situation head on. 

There was one: an experience that had exposed both of them, and left both in tears. His chest tightened, and it was as if her arms were around him, again pulling him into her truth. 

He turned his head away, his face scrunched in pain. It was also another example of how he hadn’t let Eleni’s reality touch him beyond his fleeting emotions. He knew this because he hadn’t acted until it was too late.

He lay back, the pictures resting uselessly on his chest.

“I’m sorry, Elle,” he whispered, and the thought that he would never get a chance to tell her that, or learn what they could have been when he stopped ignoring the truth, pushed him over and the tears finally came. They came slowly, however, tracing down the side of his face into his ear. The pictures rose and fell evenly.

He thought of his father and Kurt. He thought of Eleni and her mother. 

There were some many things that were fundamentally abhorrent in their society. He felt hopeless as his mind encompassed them all. He accepted that.

He thought again of Eresh, and the man’s clarity of vision in the face of indelible threat. That courage shamed Dave and he did not turn away from his deficit. 

In that place of reflection, there were no memories, but there was his heart. Its beat echoed inside him, a constant and insistent pulse. 

These problems were larger than him, and in truth he had been little more than a paper champion. Nonetheless, he refused the option of removing himself. He would stand by Eresh’s side, and stand for all those denied their basic rights, fundamental rights acknowledged on this very land over a millennium ago.

It would start with mutant amnesty, but if he had his way, it would become so much more. Dave exhaled into the inexorable pull to change the world.

It was not a grand realization, or an epiphany, but an acceptance. Not a rising up, but a coming down, back to a level of basic humanity from which he had somehow become divorced. He had known the truth for a long time now, but he was only just learning to embrace it.


	29. Chapter 28

**MATTHEW**

“So, how does it look? Give us a high-level review before we start.”

G, Adam and Matthew were seated across from Greystone Darkholme in their living room. The man had taken a few days to review G’s case, and this meeting was the first official one they were having. Greystone looked back and forth between the three of them as he responded to the question.

“Well, much as you might think. The contract that James signed is fairly tight, but we can question the legality of that, as the Montagne is strictly against slavery in any form. The military legal team is likely to come forward with a necessity argument, as all indications point to James being very powerful. But, even with that, I don’t think the average judge would compromise on the Montagne’s moral position.”

“And go against the one explicit order Magneto left for us,” Adam added, a satisfied note to his tone. The story went that apart from creating key parts of the Montagne, specifically the DownMountain and the Atrium, the man had retreated from actively ruling, instead becoming a more ominous figure in the background. One of the few things he had been vocal about, however, was his strong desire that the nation formed under his shadow never embrace any form of persecution, especially the atrocity of slavery. He had been adamant in that.

Adam stood to refresh the glass of water sitting before Greystone.

“That sounds good then, right?” Matthew asked. Greystone nodded slowly.

“For a normal case, yes. However, there is also some other news.” His eyes shifted to Adam as he spoke. “The military’s legal team has put in a motion to bring this before the Council. Putting it simply, the claim is that a civilian has no place meddling in military matters, and that you are impinging on their ability to protect the Montagne.” Adam took this in as he returned and handed the man his glass.

“Is that good or bad for us?”

“If the Council should accept the petition, it changes the standard balance. On the plus side, a Council mediated decision would come about far faster than taking it through the courts. That said, Yanella has assured me it will still take a few weeks before the Council can clear a place on their schedule. They are currently caught up in the final decision regarding the upgrades to the train line, and all involved want that finished.”

Adam nodded thoughtfully.

“At least that means we will likely be past the ballet, should they decide to mediate. We’ll be able to focus fully on the case. What’s the downside?”

“It will become political.” Adam hummed, unsurprised. G spoke up.

“Why would they want to pick up a case like this? I mean, yes, I am a catch, but the fate of one Downmountainer seems rather trivial for people at that level.” Matthew eyed his friend at his humor, but Greystone made no comment on that. 

“Well, the conflict has become somewhat public. But, beyond that, this case has the potential to clarify, or redraw, the boundaries in regards to the military’s reach,” Greystone replied.

“What do you mean?” 

“In the past, there were times the military’s scope was substantial. We currently live in a time of relative…” the lawyer paused, looking for a word.

“Weakness?” Matthew provided, glancing at Adam. The man seemed lost in thought, his eyes distant as he weighed matters Matthew couldn’t fathom.

“Not exactly. Let’s say, limitation. There are limitations on the military’s reach at the moment. But they are vague.”

“How so? It doesn’t seem that way DownMountain.” G inquired, his tone dubious. Greystone tipped his head.

“To be honest, it is not entirely clear. I believe there was a matter in the past that left some things unresolved.” Greystone looked down while he gave this dissatisfying reply.

Matthew found himself narrowing his eyes on the lawyer. While the man hadn’t lied exactly, his words rung with a greyness what wasn’t exactly the truth, either. 

Greystone was still speaking.

“A case like this could reinforce, increase or erode those limitations. Further, a Council decision, if it falls in the military’s favor, will set a precedent, and make it difficult to challenge the military on similar areas in the future.” 

“Even if it borders on slavery?” Matthew asked, not liking that scenario.

“We may find out,” the lawyer murmured, as he began removing papers from his satchel. “Anyway, let’s move on to the details that pertain to yourself, G, and your case. We’ll cover both scenarios, with the Council involved and without.”

Matthew sat and listened to Greystone Darkholme sketch out the situation from a legal point-of-view, and the different approaches they could take in regards to G’s defense, followed up by his own recommendations, again depending on the Council’s involvement. It all gave Matthew a headache. 

“It’s a lot to think about,” G murmured, sitting back as Greystone finished. Adam nodded, glancing at him.

“It is. We’ll help you consider those options, G,” Adam replied, then his eyes returned to Greystone’s face as he continued. “What about publicity?”

“Yes,” Greystone noted, “that needs to be addressed. What is your preference? Do you want to make this as low-key as possible? Though our ability to do so will be limited if we go before the Council, of course. Or do you want to try to manage it?”

“I’m not sure, yet,” Adam responded. He took in a deep breath and exhaled loudly. “There is one piece of publicity I know we cannot avoid if this goes before the Council.”

Greystone remained silent, but nodded.

“What is that, dad?” Matthew asked, annoyed to be so uninformed on these matters. At that, Greystone cut in.

“That is perhaps something you two should discuss later. Adam,” Greystone took command of the conversation, “Yanella mentioned your request to herself.”

“And will she--?” Adam sat forward in his eagerness. The lawyer held up his hand, asking Adam to wait.

“To be honest, I thought you were being a bit paranoid, but with the action the military has taken in going before the Council, it seems that you were correct in your thinking.” The man paused. “I hear stories about these people from my wife, but you grew up with them.”

Adam sat back on the couch with a sigh. “I played the game enough to anticipate where they could take it. My parents were in deep.” G threw Matthew a questioning look, but Matthew only shrugged in return, just as puzzled by these comments.

“Do you really want another public confrontation?”

“Can it be avoided at this point?”

“Only if the Council turns this down.” Matthew watched this exchange his head moving back and forth as if he were watching a tennis match.

“Greystone, let’s be honest. That is unlikely, for so many reasons. And people will love the drama.” 

“Your recent actions aren’t helping. You aren’t very popular at the moment.” 

“I’m going to back off,” Adam assured the man. “I won’t jeopardize the business.”

“A public statement to that extent would go a long way…”

“I’ll think about it,” Matthew’s father responded, sighing.

G sat up partway through this exchange.

“Why are we talking about Adam’s popularity? This is my case,” he interjected when the moment presented. Adam and Greystone looked at each other.

“Yeah. And isn’t the law supposed to keep this from being a popularity contest?” Matthew demanded, still confused even in his understanding that they were now referring to their withholding of wines. Confused and irritated.

“Once politics have become involved there’s no avoiding it. Politics is the ultimate popularity contest, is it not?” Greystone returned, and Adam laughed, bitterly. Matthew pushed past their reactions.

“What are you two referring to, here, anyway? Beyond the vineyard stuff. I got that.” Greystone looked at Adam, who remained silent.

“Not talking about it won’t make it go away. I can wait.” Adam sighed out.

“I think I’m going to enjoy working with you Greystone,” he said, as he leaned forward and prepared to answer his son’s question. “Mattie, we’re talking about the Head.”

“Because this is going before the Council, and he has more…a more active position there?” 

“Yes, that is likely why the military put that request forward. Once it is before the Council, he could easily pass judgement on the case and end it there. But it’s not just that. This isn’t the first time he and I have been…connected through a public controversy.”

“The tabloids will likely to paint it as the third and final round,” Greystone interjected. “It will be a spectacle, Adam, though I can try to keep it as quiet as possible. If you want to embrace it, we can discuss tactics. But it sounds like the two of you should have a discussion before making that decision.”

“What happened before? Twice before?” Matthew asked, bewildered. He glanced at G to see the man giving Adam and the lawyer a measuring look.

“Mattie, we will talk about it, but later. Let’s use our time with Greystone and G to focus on the case.” Matthew wasn’t happy with that response, but accepted the practicality. “Is there anything else?”

“There are two other items that need mention,” Greystone moved on. “While the contract focuses predominantly on James’ agreement to allow them to test him with the purpose of discovering his mutant ability, there are two other requirements in there, one pertaining to him, one to his potential offspring. The first is nothing surprising, it is something that is expected of all of us, but the contract codifies it more than usual.”

“What’s that?” Matthew asked, reaching for some of the food they had had prepared for the meeting.

“There is a clause about him fulfilling his ‘biological destiny’ provided he is physically able.”

Matthew’s head snapped up at this in time to see his father give a tired nod. As his stomach disappeared, he recognized that a handful of months ago he would have accepted it as well. Now, however, he found it fundamentally repulsive. 

“They could force him to…create a child?”

“Reproduction is essential to the Montagne,” came the lawyer’s non-response. “I am having my team research how well that requirement holds up legally.”

Matthew had already moved past that point, however, recalling there was a second item, but G was already there.

“They could take my babies,” the man said, and the pain in his eyes tore Matthew’s heart.

Greystone sighed. “It is a similarly grey area. Our laws in fact outline something not unlike this for the entire population, a military duty to ensure the protection of our nation. However, it is an archaic piece of legislation, and is doubtful to be upheld in court. I have never seen it reaffirmed in a contract like this before, and so specific to an individual. I have my team researching the impact of that.”

“I’ve seen it before,” Adam said, and three pairs of eyes snapped to him. “There are clauses in both Matthew’s and Jalisa’s adoption contracts. In fact, I think there is more that is similar. Matthew, you remember you used to go to training sessions at the military complex? That was part of the contract as well.”

“What?” Matthew didn’t remember any of that, but a sense of panic started to simmer deep inside him as his father spoke.

“The sessions were life savers at the beginning, really helped you reign in your telepathy. You were constantly projecting emotionally. And you would only speak telepathically at first.”

“Really?” he managed to say. 

“That is very interesting, Adam,” Greystone murmured. “Do you recall who was working with Matthew?”

“Not off the top of my head, but I probably have the paperwork somewhere. He used to come home raving about one Junior Cadet Emanuel, though,” the man added, with a fond chuckle, and the face with markings down its neck flashed through Matthew’s mind, followed by a sense of reassurance. Matthew didn’t dwell on the memory, but did focused on the calming feeling to remove himself from his initial reaction.

“I barely remember that,” he said out loud. “How long did it last?”

“Well, it started immediately after I adopted you. And it went on for almost two years I think.” The man scrunched up his face in thought. “It stopped rather abruptly, actually. But at that point that they had done what they needed to. I didn’t see the benefits I had at the start any longer. I had mentioned that to them, and I think they came to realize it, as well.”

Greystone, who had jotted down some brief notes throughout this short discussion, looked up at Adam.

“Could I get a look at those contracts, Adam? As I said, I haven’t seen something like this before, and it would be informative.”

“That’s fine with me. Mattie?”

“Sure. So long it will help our case for G.” The large man leaned over and slapped his friend on the back.

“Well, you survived two years working with these military types. I must just be soft.” Though the man smiled at his joke, concern echoed in his eyes.

“You said it,” Matthew replied, unable to come up with anything else in the moment.

They wrapped up with the lawyer, and the man left shortly after. 

The discussion had gone on long enough that they were rushing to clean so they could get to the dance school on time. They planned to G off at the train on the way. In the rush, Matthew forgot to ask Adam about why this case would be his third time going head to head with the ruler of the Montagne.

At rehearsal, Matthew filled Eleni in on the state of the case, though he left out the references to Adam’s involvement causing drama.

“OK,” she said once she had heard it all. “How good are our chances the military’s request will be denied?” 

Matthew shrugged.

“I don’t know. Things can get a bit unpredictable at the Baron level.”

“Why’s that? Aren’t they a legislative body? There must be rules.” Matthew waved his head.

“There are some, but an issue like this is pretty unusual. It may come down to how they are feeling that day.” It was half a joke, but Eleni didn’t find it funny.

“This place is so messed up,” she said, rolling her eyes, but then she dropped the topic. A minute later they kissed and went to change.

“Like ‘em flat, huh, Summers? Just like your dad. Jenna was too much for you to handle.”

Matthew ignored the comment that was thrown at him as he changed. Since Tracy’s dramatic interruption, he had become aware of the rumors circulating that Eleni was a sans, but also knew them to be a desperate attempt to slander his girlfriend for being with him. Unfortunately, he realized that he couldn’t share his proof that she was a mutant, namely her immediate ability to speak the language of the Montagne fluently despite having grown up in the Citadel. So, he just gritted his teeth and focused on what really mattered.

Coming out into the auditorium, he found that the entire cast was being gathered for announcement. The spotty audience of classmates and some parents had been pushed to the back of the large room.

“Come, everyone,” Madam P called from the stage. “Time is of the essence. Please sit so we can get through these announcements and get back to dancing.” 

Matthew located Eleni off to the side, and joining her, they slid into the end of a row. Looking around, Matthew guessed that they had the entire cast in the auditorium that day.

“As you know,” Madam P began once everyone had settled, “we have three weeks to go until the performance.” Matthew glanced at Eleni and grinned. Her face mirrored his, and nervous anticipation crackled through the bond. “Starting in two weeks, we will no longer allow visitors during rehearsals.” 

There was a mild groan from the back of the auditorium, but this was nothing unexpected. Madam P always locked down the final rehearsals prior to a performance. 

“I will be especially strict about this, as you have all been outdoing yourselves and I have no doubt that this performance will be one of the best I have ever directed, if not the best.” A pleased murmur hummed though the audience. “In line with that, I have two more announcements that will keep you motivated these last few weeks. The first you likely already know either from myself or from rumor,” here Madam P paused for effect, “you will be gracing the stage of the Grand Theater for _all_ of your performances.”

The cheer that met this announcement was heartfelt from those who gave it. Matthew felt a tingling rush of satisfaction from Eleni, and when he looked at her, she pulled him close and kissed him.

“You and me on a proper stage. As it should be,” she whispered when they pulled apart. It took a moment for the noise to abate. Then the dance teacher continued with the second part of her announcement.

“The next few weeks will be demanding. I expect you to do your best at _every rehearsal_. I have no doubt that this cast can meet those expectations. But, I am not merciless. As a prelude to this intense time, you will have the Remembrance, off.” The cheer that met this news was far louder than the last. Matthew’s own cry dwindled as he felt confusion from Eleni. He bowed his head close.

“It celebrates Magneto’s creation of the Montagne, all those who were saved within its walls, and the ones who were lost. Everyone has the day off, but if rehearsals haven’t been going well, it has been claimed as an extra rehearsal day in the past.” He felt understanding seep into Eleni. “There’s a bunch of stuff happening at the Atrium that day. We should go.”

“Sure.”

The holiday arrived a handful of days later, and Matthew was sitting at the table in the casual dining area working on an assignment for class when Eleni appeared, slightly unexpectedly, outside the glass doors of the porch. It took a moment for Matthew to register that she was there, as he had assumed he would pick her up at Madam Ps once he was done with his work.

“Hi,” she said as he opened the door and she stepped up to kiss him.

“Hi,” he murmured back. 

“Madam P is meeting a friend today, and I asked her to walk me down here before she went out.” Eleni avoided walking alone as often as she could. 

She glanced at the book lying open on the table. “Do you have a lot more to do?” 

There was a substantial bit of reading left, and he wanted to have it done before they went out.

“Yeah. I might need another hour or so. You could go on ahead and I’ll catch up with you at the Atrium. Madam P probably hasn’t gone that far yet.”

“Do you mind if I wait here?”

“Sure,” Matthew said, not finding any reason to object. “Here, I’ll make us some tea.” 

Eleni followed him into the kitchen, and soon they emerged with two steaming mugs. She sat down across from him, and took out her own book from the bag she had brought with her. 

“Is Adam upstairs?” she asked as she opened it up.

“Uh, he’s out for the day.” This fact that had been on Matthew’s mind ever since Eleni showed up at the door.

“Oh. The vineyard?”

“No. Jae has some public exercises today as part of the celebration. He’s there.” Eleni nodded, and looked around. Matthew pushed aside the twinge of nervousness in his own stomach. They would be heading to the Atrium once he was done, he told himself firmly. 

He and Eleni were rarely alone, and he continued to prefer things that way. While, once their STD tests had both come back negative, Eleni had on a couple of occasions prevailed on him to go up to her room in the evenings, his school commitments had always made those episodes short and relatively tame. He knew he could manage that level of intimacy. He wasn’t sure about anything more.

They both bent to their work.

After just over an hour, Matthew leaned back and rubbed his eyes under his glasses.

“Done,” he said with satisfaction. He found the readings for the civil course very dry. The theory that he had read on telepathy over the recent months had been far more interesting.

Eleni closed her book, and smiled.

“Let’s go?”

“Sure. I just want to change first.” Eleni trailed behind him as he went into the living room, intending to run upstairs after he put his school work away. As he stuffed his books back into the bag he kept by the front door, Eleni drifted around the rooms of his house.

“Are these you?” Eleni asked. He looked up to see Eleni gazing at the pictures on the book shelves in the living room. “I noticed them when we were here for dinner.”

He went to join her.

“Jae and I as kids,” he answered, slightly embarrassed.

“You were so cute,” she said, grinning up at him. “So was Jae.” This comment was made in an ironic tone.

“Didn’t last long for either of us,” Matthew replied, joking and Eleni laughed softly in return. “That was the first picture we had taken here.” He continued, pointing at the picture in question. 

Within the frame, Matthew and Jae were sitting next to a cross-legged Adam. Toddler Jae had some soft blocks scattered around her, but Matthew had no toys, and clung to his new-found father his small face solemn and serious, a stark contrast to Jae’s open smile. It had been taken just days after he had arrived at the Montagne.

Eleni was still gazing at the picture, though she felt wistful now. He wrapped his arms around her, and pressed his lips to the scarf on her head. She leaned into him. 

“I wish I could see a picture of you when you were little,” he murmured. Her head shifted against him, then she tilted it back to look up into his face. He had the feeling she was evaluating him. She broke free from his embrace and sat down on the sofa. Her hand reached up into her scarf, and a moment later came away with a small object balanced between her fingers. 

Intrigued, Matthew sat beside her, and saw that she was holding a heart-shaped locket. It was beautifully made, with swans engraved on the front surrounded by flowers. He thought it might be paired with the bracelet she always wore on her wrist, which also had a heart-shaped pendant. 

Eleni pressed her finger to the side of the locket, and it sprung open. She handed it to him shyly. He held her gaze questioningly for a moment, before looking down.

Within he saw two tiny pictures of Eleni tucked on either side of the locket. In the one on the left, she was a baby, with chubby cheeks and a happy smile on her face. On the right, she appeared to be just short of her teenaged years and was posed with one arm arching up over her head. He thought she was wearing a ballet costume, but the picture cut off at the shoulders and he could not be sure. Her poise and grace in ballet, however, were something he witnessed every day and he recognized them instantly. 

“You were beautiful from the start,” he said quietly. She waved the compliment away, and reached for the locket, embarrassed. He started to hand it back, and then stopped and brought the pictures closer to his face.

“You had hair!” he exclaimed. Just barely he could see that baby’s head had a very short cap of light-colored fuzz.

Eleni started in surprise and reclaimed the locket, peering at the small image. She laughed quietly to herself, as if defeated.  
“Yeah,” she murmured, snapping the locket shut.

“What happened to it?” Eleni looked up and froze for a moment. Then she sighed out. 

“Nothing. I shave it off.” Matthew wrinkled his brow. 

“Why?”

“In the Citadel, the color would have been seen as unusual.” 

“That shouldn’t matter here.” 

She shrugged and didn’t look at him.

“It’s a habit now, I guess. Anyway, let’s get going!” 

The comment and Eleni’s attempt to change the subject didn’t register with Matthew. It was the emotions, strong enough that they seeped by her attempts to hold them in, that held his attention. Her hair triggered many emotions in her, but it was the ones he felt the strongest that dismayed him. Despair and…guilt.

“Why do you feel guilty about that?” he asked quietly, centering in on the emotion that echoed familiarly within himself. 

She looked at him as irritation flashed across the bond, then looked away. 

“Matthew, I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s go.” She stood up and went to the door, but he stayed seated and focused on those emotions. Why should she feel so terribly guilty?

He lingered on the feeling, and found his memory of his mother’s death threatening at the edge of his thoughts. Mentally turning away from that, Eleni’s corresponding nightmare assaulted him. As he forced himself to remain outwardly calm, he recalled that one of the men had yanked her head back, and then they had run away from her.

“It’s how they knew you were a mutant, wasn’t it?” Standing in the archway that led into the front hall, she looked down, and the guilt flared. “You blame yourself for your mother’s death.”

Eleni went rigid, and stood like a statue. Matthew slowly got up and made his way over to her. She was blinking rapidly. It was a full minute until she spoke.

“Everything she did was to protect me,” she whispered. “Then, I insisted on growing my hair out. And she died because of that. I ruined everything.” Hesitantly, he embraced her. Tears pricked at his own eyes. He understood only too well what she was feeling. 

_It wasn’t your fault_, he tried to say, but the words stuck in his throat. He knew that if anyone said that to him he would only see it as a placating lie. He tightened his arms around her and shifted his head.

“Elle, it’s in the past,” he said between her sobs and holding back his own tears. 

Her despair at the memory was growing, and within him his own guilt and anxiety was taking over. He understood only too well how those emotions quieted and lay in wait until a moment when you least expected it. Then they reared their vicious heads, ripping away your illusion of control. Feelings he didn’t want to be feeling took over, and tears spilled out. Sobbing they both sank to the ground.

“I wish I had never been born,” she whispered.

“No, _NO_!” he said back, as firmly as he could. He had to stop this. “Don’t. Don’t say that. You have so much. You _are_ so much. Elle, I see it. I love you. I love you.” Between these declaration he started to kiss her. Wet, messy, desperate kisses. Anything to take her away from the edge of the black pit before which she mentally stood. 

Slowly, she started to respond, and after a minute, he stood them up, and pulled her tight against him again, kissing her deeply and willing her to stay with him. She responded to that, and the darkness receded, replaced by desire. Matthew steeled himself, feeding off her desire to bolster his own. He knew what she wanted. He knew what he could do to make her feel better.

“Come with me,” he said softly, and he took her upstairs.

**ELENI**

Eleni gazed at Matthew, lying in his bed, her legs overlapping his under the sheets. He looked back at her. They had been like this for a while now, occasionally smiling, occasionally talking or asking questions, shy in spite of their newfound intimacy. 

Her scarf was off, discarded in some corner of Matthew’s room. He would occasionally run his hand over the smooth surface of her scalp, which sent shivers down her spine and made her breath deeply.

He had taken her to the place she had wanted to go. She had wanted that for a while now. And yet…they hadn’t had sex. Not in the sense she had thought they would.

“What about you?” she said, finally voicing the question she had held back since they had finished. She was slowly becoming aware of her inexperience when it came to things of a physical nature. Her mother had talked about some of it, but it had all been so distant to Eleni. Like hearing about things people did on another planet. She hadn’t really believed it. 

“Don’t worry about me,” he said with a small smile. “Like I said, I enjoyed that, too.” The bond. She had never realized it was amplifying what they felt when they were intimate. Matthew had explained that he had experienced pleasure through hers. “There’s no rush, anyway.” He ran the back of his fingers down her side, sending ticklish shivers throughout her whole body. She took a breath in, and he smiled devilishly. “There’s lots to explore and lots of time to do that.” He brought his hand up to caress her face, and she covered it with hers as she gazed at him. 

His smile seemed strained and his feelings were mixed. His undercurrent of anxiety was familiar to her now, and she sadly accepted the responsibility for that: in associating with her, he had opened himself up to the same experiences she faced everyday. She knew it was taking its toll. 

The fact was, however, that she was no better. So, she didn’t judge him for his emotions or for the fact that he didn’t share them with her. Because she couldn’t tell him the truth, either. She couldn’t tell him that they didn’t have time. Instead she kept smiling, pushed up her happiness, and pushed down her disappointment.

Matthew yawned. She could see the tiredness around his eyes, and she knew how busy his class work was keeping him on top of the ballet. And then there was everything happening with G.

“Go to sleep,” she said quietly. He nodded and smiled in gratitude before his eyes fell closed. A minute later, the only sound in the room was soft snoring.

Eleni sat up in the bed and leaned forward, her arms resting against her knees, her bald head against her arms.

Her hair. Even in its absence, it haunted her. And yet…she longed to show it to Matthew. It came from a desire to show him everything. To let him in to her darkest secrets, the truths and the lies, and to see his reaction.

She knew it was wrong to test him, and she knew she wouldn’t do it, but nonetheless part of her wanted to know if he could see that all that didn’t matter. To see if he could still love her. 

As Dave had. 

She was taken back.

_“You don’t have to eat it.”_

_Dave’s platinum eyes turned stubborn as they had so many times before. She suppressed the smile she always felt at seeing that side of his nature, even as it was often as not the source of an equal amount of irritation._

_“What? I like it!” He took another big bite, then chewed slowly, managing his face. She snorted a laugh at his misplaced gallantry._

_ They were in her apartment. It was small, she knew that, but tried not to feel self-conscious about it. There was a modest living room, with a space off to the side by the kitchen that was probably meant as a dining area. A hard floor had been laid there, and it was used instead for limited ballet practice. Next to that was the kitchen itself, a square nook with counters interrupted by a sink, stove and cold press, down two sides of it. A short hallway led from the living area, along the other side of the kitchen, and there were three closed doors at its end: a closet flanked by two bedrooms._

_ She and Dave sat along two sides of a small square table that was tucked into the one open corner of the kitchen. She had called her mother saying she felt sick and was going home to rest. Dave didn’t have lacrosse practice today; that had started a couple weeks ago. He had walked her home as usual, then gone and changed and waited a half hour before coming back to the building and entering through a door at the back. Eleni had given him the key._

_Now, they were eating a meal she had made; steamed legumes with a spicy sauce. She could tell he wasn’t used to it, and was struggling with the flavors._

_ She stood up and taking his hand, pulled him up beside her. He pulled her close, and once his mouth was clear, they kissed. They didn’t stop._

_ “Come on,” she said quietly._

_ “Elle, are you absolutely sure?” he asked her for what seemed like the thousandth time. “It’s far more dangerous for you than it is for me.” It was, and she was._

_ “You are the only one I’ll ever share this with.” She took his hand and pulled him towards the hall. “I want you.”_

_Those words cleared his hesitation, and he moved close to her, trying to hold her as they went._

_She was excited and nervous as she led him into her room. It was barely large enough to hold the single bed, desk with chair and bureau that were its sole possessions. A shade covered a small window that, when cleared, looked out onto a narrow gap built into the building to provide some natural light._

_ These details hardly registered with her, so aware was she of the body right behind her. Of what they were about to do._

_ His arms came around her, and she turned within them. Their lips met and things went from there._

_ It wasn’t exactly what she had hoped for, but nothing unexpected occurred either. Her mother had been thorough in her sex education, though for what reason Eleni couldn’t fathom. The woman was also adamant that her daughter could never risk being close to anyone. Well, so much for that promise._

_ It felt good at first, just like when they fooled around in the lounge at the office building. She wanted to be with Dave, and he wanted to be with her, and the kissing and touching was as electric as it had always been. There was some awkwardness, but they figured things out as the clothes came off, and feeling his completely bare body against hers, something she had imagined so many times, was bliss._

_ However, when they got into it, things changed. There was some pain, not a lot, but no matter what she did, focusing on their bodies together or thinking about how much she cared about Dave, she found it difficult to regain that blissful feeling that had made her want to have sex with him. She considered telling him to stop, but held out hope that it would get better. Something started to build in her, and for a moment it did get better. Then it ended._

_ “That was incredible,” Dave breathed into her neck from where his head was buried in the bed besides hers. She stayed silent, and ran her hand up his back, “How was it for you?” He lifted himself and shifted to the side._

_ “It was ok.” She wouldn’t lie, but she would be nice. “But, it can take a little time for women to get into it.” Dave nodded._

_ “My dad’s book mentioned that. I tried to hold on as long as I could. But, it felt so good…” _

_ “Don’t worry about it.” She tried to think of how to navigate the next bit, but then, probably because things seemed wetter than they should, he looked under the sheets._

_ “Holy shit!” He looked back at her in horror. “It hurt didn’t it?”_

_ “A little,” she admitted, then used getting the soiled sheets off the bed as an excuse to change the subject. Dave cleaned himself up and put his boxers on. She put on underwear that had additional cloth tucked into a pouch, the kind she used when she was on her period. Then they hauled the sheets into the bathroom. The communal washing machines were in the basement, and she didn’t feel comfortable bringing the soiled linens down there._

_ Dave settled himself on the closed toilet, looking slightly ill, as she turned on the water in the shower, blocking the drain in the shallow pan at the bottom with the sheets. _

_ “What do you think you are doing?” she said archly to Dave. “We made this mess together, we clean it up together.” He looked surprised, but to his credit, knelt beside her and started to rub soap into the fabric._

_ “I thought it felt good for you,” he muttered._

_ “It did, until close to the end. It’s normal.” Wanting to clear away the glum look he was wearing, she continued, bending to rub the sheets more vigorously. “Next time we can take it slower at the beginning.” More information from her mother. _

_ “Next time…?” At the tone of his voice, Eleni looked up at Dave and found the strangest expression on his face. She finally figured out that it was a cross between worry and him trying to suppress an idiotic grin. She laughed, and, rinsing her hands, ran them up his bare chest and twined them around his neck, pressing her body to his. _

_ “Yes, next time. So, you better be ready.” It would do no good if he was anxious about what might happen. To her relief, the idiotic grin won over._

_ “Next time,” he murmured appreciatively, leaning in to kiss her. They barely caught the fact that the water had started to lap out of the shower pan, and quickly moved to soak it up. The tension finally broken, they laughed together over the situation. _

_ Back in the room with fresh sheets on the bed, Eleni buttoned on Dave’s shirt and they cuddled and talked together. Then they were both yawning, so they set the alarm for an hour later and settled down for a nap. Senator Kelly’s team was working on an important bill, and her mother wouldn’t be home until late._

_ Eleni wished the alarm had woken her, but instead a strange pressure at the base of her skull brought her around. It moved when she turned her head, but then she forgot about it, as she found herself looking up into Dave’s face. She smiled, and ran the hand that had come to rest on his torso up and behind his neck._

_ “Good morning,” she said playfully, as she pulled him down into a kiss. He nearly lost his balance. She would never have thought that lying in a bed together would be complicated._

_ When the kiss ended, Dave looked down at her, grinning. _

_ “You have hair.” _

_ Eleni went empty. She viciously pushed down on the dread that threatened to overwhelm her. Her mother’s words echoed in her brain. _

**‘Don’t even think about it!’**

_ Maybe he was just teasing her._

_ “What?” _

_“You have hair. I felt it.” She put her hand to the back of her head, and horror flooded her as she remembered the pressure that had woken her up. She said nothing, but slowly pushed herself out of the sheets and onto the pillow. Her back was up against the wall. _

_She stared at Dave, who looked increasingly bewildered as he sat up, and sadness threatened next, but she pushed that down, too._

_“Can I see it?”_

_This had to end. Now_

_“No.” _

_“It’s just hair, Elle.” It was, and it wasn’t. “Come on. I don’t care what it looks like. Could you just show it to me?” No. An eerie calm filled her_

_“Dave, you need to forget about it.” _

_“Um, I don’t think I can do that.” His face scrunched up in irritation. “It can’t be that bad. After everything we have shared…” Hurt entered his voice. _

_Yes, everything they had shared just hours ago, made it seem like there should be nothing hidden between them. But that was an illusion, and one upon which her life depended. Layers of lies choked her. She clenched her teeth against the self-inflicted pain of her next words._

_“Then, you should go.” _

_Dave turned incredulous, and anger joined the hurt in his voice. _

_ “Eleni, I’m not leaving. We just had sex. That’s got to be more important than your hair.” She held on to the strange calm that filled her._

_“If you can’t let this go, then we can’t be together.” Oh, why wouldn’t he just leave?_

_“What? We’re going to break up over your hair?” Sarcasm twisted through the hurt and anger as he shot back at her. She hated that, and gave it right back to him. Maybe it would make him leave. Maybe it would make it easier to see him go._

_ “Come on. Any of the girls would love to be with you, I hear them talking. You’ll find someone else, someone who will accept all the baubles you want to give them, someone who you can go out to restaurants with, and from what I hear about Heather, I’m sure you can find someone to have sex with if that’s what you want! You should have been with someone else all along! Get out!”_

_ His eyes widened, and his nostrils flared, and for a moment she felt relief as she was sure he was going to storm out. But then he doubled down._

_ “Is that right!? You want to see me walking with some other girl after school again, knowing I’m kissing her, touching her, and yeah, having sex with her if she’ll let me? Because of your hair?!” He sat back, dressed only in his underwear, and leaned against the other wall that bordered her bed. “No. I’m not going to leave. I’m staying right here, either until you show me your hair, or until your mother comes home.” _

_ She stopped breathing for a second. She knew Dave, and she knew he would do exactly what he said. Something broke inside her._

_ “But…Dave, just go.” Her voice was weaker. “You don’t understand. It’s…it’s dangerous.”_

_ “Dangerous? That’s insane,” he spat. “Your mom’s going to get quite a surprise when she gets home.”_

_ All emotion drained out of Eleni. She started to wait him out, empty. As the minutes passed hopelessness filled her, and the few things that had held meaning in her life were made worthless. It was time.   
There was some relief in that. _

_The last minute that she sat there, she no longer looked for any change from Dave. She floated in the blissful nothingness she had achieved. Dave began to look uncomfortable, as he occasionally glanced at her, but she barely noticed. She was numb. She was ready._

_ “OK, then. I’ll show you.” She got off the bed and left the room. In the bathroom, she took her scarf off, and removed her contacts. Might as well do it all she thought as she untwisted her hair and shook it out. _

_She gazed for a moment at what she had fought so hard for. Her mother had tried to stop her from growing her hair out, afraid of the danger. But Dave had been dating that wretched Humanist at the time, and Eleni hadn’t cared. Fighting with her mom had given her something to feel. The risk of growing her hair out had been a rush._

_She reached up and lightly brushed the tight, tangled curls. Ironically, she had found she liked her hair. It was the beginning and the end of her. She returned to her room._

_ She noticed distantly that Dave looked regretful and worried when she came to stand in the doorway, but the expression was quickly displaced by a horror that dawned slowly and was awful to watch. In spite of her nothingness, tears pressed at her eyes. It was time. At least she had been with him once before the end. Then she dismissed that thought: it hadn’t been that good._

_ “You’re a mutant,” came the hoarse whisper._

_ “So. Go tell them.” Her voice was devoid of emotion. The calm returned and the tears retreated. Dave looked like he was going to be violently ill. Was he disgusted that he had just had sex with a mutant? Eleni found she didn’t want to know the answer to that question._

_ “No!” he yelled, suddenly, his face a mask of wretchedness. She didn’t think he knew what he was saying. She sneered at his naivety._

_ “Go and tell them!” she yelled back. “I’m done with this hell. I’m ready.” The last two words were a fierce whisper._

_ “No.” This time it was Dave who was whispering. His eyes started to shine, then tears were dripping down his cheeks. His beautiful face, made ugly with crying, sank down into his hands. “No, no, no….no, no…oh god, no…”_

_ She couldn’t bear it. She covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut, furious with him. He couldn’t do the one thing she needed. He had failed her. She hated him._

_ “No, no, Elle, I love you…”_

_ The words slipped past her hands. He had only said them once before, on that night he had apologized and campaigned to win her back. It hurt to hear them now. The pieces of whatever had broken inside her earlier were crushed to dust by those precious words._

_ She sank to the floor. Emotion rushed back in to fill the void inside her, so violently her lungs refused to work properly, and yet she was crying. Silent, painful heaves that felt like they would tear her apart._

_ Then warmth surrounded her, but it seemed to suffocate her more and she tried to push it away._

_ “Elle, no, don’t shut me out,” came the ragged plea. “I can’t lose you again. I can’t lose you…Please, forgive me. I love you. I couldn’t…I could never…Oh god, Elle. I love you so much…” _

_ She gave up. He pulled her against his solid form. Her lungs started to work, the next breath rushing in ragged and noisy, and coming out as anguished cry. Matching sobs shuddered through Dave’s body._

_ They cried until they were wretched from it. Eleni wished Dave was wearing a shirt, because her tears made his skin slick and she didn’t like that, and she was pretty sure her nose had dripped on him. He didn’t move, however, except to hold her tighter, as if someone was coming to take her away at that very moment._

_ “What can you do?” It took a moment for her to understand a human voice again. It was thin and raw. Her mind scrambled to accommodate her._

_ “Languages. I can pick them up unnaturally fast.” He laughed helplessly, an ugly thing._

_ “And for that they would kill you.” He didn’t try to dress up the reality. She leaned into him. “How do you live with it?” She shrugged against him._

_“I always have.” He shifted his head closer, and rested his forehead on hers. After a minute he spoke again. _

_“Does my father know?” Eleni nodded. Dave exhaled heavily, whether in surprise or relief, she didn’t know._

_He pulled back, and, holding her face gently in his hands, just looked at her. She felt exhausted._

_“I want to lie down,” she said, and they did. Cocooned in the clean sheets, bodies gently touching, they lay with their heads on the pillow and stared at each other._

_“You should shave your head again.” Eleni didn’t hide her disappointment. _

_“Does it look so strange?” Dave studied her for a long moment, and she sensed he was torn._

_“You’re exquisite. All of you,” came his whispered reply, and his hand came up to brush her cheek and continue on to run over her wild curls. She nearly started crying again from happiness. “But it’s too dangerous.” She disregarded his words; she had already told him that, and he hadn’t listened to her. Why should she listen to him now? Anyway, he loved her in spite of everything. That was all she wanted to think about. _

_Tracing his jaw with her fingers, she wondered at him. How he kept coming back to her, stronger each time; how he made her feel joy in this dark world. She knew there would never be another for her; it didn’t matter, though, because no matter when it ended, what she shared with Dave was enough to last her lifetime._

_“I love you,” she whispered. “I always will.”_

Eleni came back to herself and found tears on her face. 

In her desire to be with Matthew, she had consciously pushed aside her memories with Dave. She wanted to have all the relationship with Matthew could offer and not be held back. But in this moment, she acknowledged that Dave and her love for him was an indelible part of her. Looking back to make sure Matthew still slept, she let the tears flow.

Eventually her distress dwindled, and she ran dry. Emotional mediocrity set it for a long time, until a warm hand on her back brought her back to reality. Longing for something that felt good, she turned willingly into Matthew’s embrace.

**JAE**

“It’s simple, Summers. You enter the room, put the tray down, and leave.” Jae stared at the Sargent Smith, picking up on the sniggers that came from his companions. She then looked towards the thick door that was also heavily locked complete with a wide metal sliding bar. 

It was clear that this task wasn’t simple, that there was a catch, and that the joke was on her.

Gritting her teeth, she straightened up and held her head high. She wouldn’t be proven a coward.

“Simple. Yes, sir,” she said in return, and reached her hand out for the metal tray complete with a tightly adhered top. That was unusual, but the clue didn’t help Jae decipher the prank. 

Sargent Smith paused for a moment, evaluating her. She guessed that he had thought she would refuse. Only an idiot wouldn’t sense a trap in this situation. And maybe she was an idiot for not taking the smart route, but the subtle disdain she was constantly picking up from her military comrades chafed. She would show them.

The man nodded, and put the tray in her hand. After instructing one of his fellow sergeants to begin unlocking the door, he added a couple of notes.

“Be quiet. And get out quickly.” Jae’s stomach went soft, but she didn’t let it show. She let her power pulse through her arms, but not out her hands. She was ready.

The door swung open to an ante-chamber. Another bark of laughter sounded behind her, quickly shushed by Smith.  
“It’s not too late to change your mind, Cadet.”

“I’m doing what I was instructed to do, sir. Just following orders,” she returned, subtly placing the responsibility back on him and his friends. Where it should be. Somehow, she knew that if things went wrong, as they no doubt could, it would never find its way back there. She gritted her teeth again.

“Open the second door, sir,” she said. She was waiting in the antechamber.

“We have to close the first. There’s a green button just on the inside, to the left of the next door. Press that when you are done. See that a red button there? To the left in the antechamber? That will close that door automatically when you come back through. But we should have already taken care of that – the red button is just an emergency precaution.”

“Yes, sir,” she acknowledged. After a pause, the door swung closed. A moment later, the inner door opened.

Slowly, she stepped in, taking care to be quiet. She found herself in a dimly lit, cavernous room. One end of it disappeared into darkness. 

Glancing around, she saw a large window breaking the monotony of the rock, high above. A viewing box, she thought, similar to the ones they had spaced above the long rows at the vineyard. A birds-eye view.

She wondered why they needed that here, and why not far from the window, there was a section of the wall that had clearly suffered damage sometime in the past. It looked like there had been a rock slide.

A breath of breeze stopped her. The Montagne was constantly ventilated, but the system had been perfected and breezes were rare. She set it aside as simply a flaw in the system.

Her military mote buzzed, and she glanced down.

_You were told to finish and get out, Cadet!_

Jae found a small pleasure in his annoyance. Hazing aside, they would have a lot to explain internally if a Summers’ heir was injured.

As she moved to place the tray, another puff of wind blew past her, and faint giggles echoed through the chamber. The skin on her arms and back rose.

She turned quickly back to the door, and as the wind turned into a brisk breeze, she knew it wasn’t the ventilation system. A clattering sound behind her told her the tray she had just left was now overturned somewhere on the floor.

The giggles turned to laughter, and came closer. She entered the inner door, and slammed her hand against the red button. The door began to swing closed, but the wind picked up speed as it did, enough that it was slowed in its progress. Jae shoved herself into the corner close to the red button. A gale flooded the chamber, and even in her sheltered space she felt it buffet her back. She grabbed on to a bar fixed to the wall next to her. 

Jae began to doubt that she would get out. The wind was now strong enough that it took the breath from her mouth. Then it suddenly stopped, and she realized that the door had finally swung shut and latched. Calm descended with brutal suddenness, and she heard a hiss as the air in the chamber was equalized. On the other side of the thick door, a storm raged. The laughter had turned to screaming.

She staggered to the outer door and pressed the green button, but it seemed like forever until the door swung open.

“Why didn’t you open that sooner?” she demanded when she strode out. While the extra time in the antechamber had allowed her to regain her composure, it had also stoked her anger. “Sir,” she added belatedly and pointedly.

Did Smith look slightly pale? She thought he did. He probably hadn’t gotten authorization to pass this task down to her. Nonetheless, he returned her anger with his own.

“Cadet, you took your time when you were clearly told to hurry.” No doubt, he had no memory that that instruction had been given as an after-thought. “Extra training until you learn to follow orders.” 

Jae found she didn’t care. 

“What is in there?” she demanded. It had been insane, she was certain of that fact. Why wasn’t the mutant kept at the asylum, distant from the Montagne? 

“It is a confidential military matter, cadet!” Smith snapped back. “And for your insubordination, you will start that extra training NOW. I will personally escort you.”

Jae was not surprised that the period of time it took to return to the training center was filled with admonishments and warning of how she would tell no one of what had just occurred.

She didn’t care. She just wanted to know why and insane mutant of immense power was being held just steps away from the UpMountain population, and why nobody there knew of it.

**CITADEL 3021.04.05**

“Thank goodness the storm is over.”

Dave grunted his agreement to Sanida’s comment, as his jaw cracked with a yawn. She was referring to the days-long sandstorm that had engulfed the city. The break in the weather had compelled them to walk this day instead of riding the trolleys.

They were skirting the Bloc 1 business district on their way to a meeting with a family. It was unusual that they were going together, as was the fact that it was Sanida’s second time meeting this family, but the family had specifically requested to see both of them. While not elite, they owned a small chain of canteen stores in Bloc 4, and held some sway in the community.

“It does make you appreciate the sun and the blue sky,” he extrapolated beyond his nonverbal reply, gazing upward. Sanida hummed in return.

“This way,” she said, turning him onto a wide boulevard that he recognized.

“We’re going to go right by the back of Baybrook, aren’t we?” Sanida nodded with a smile.

“Keio, you mean. And yes, it’s a walk of nostalgia if you will,” she returned, exaggerating the last words. Dave found himself grinning. 

Less than a minute later, the large stone building in question came into view on their right. Dave looked up at the fence that crowned the building and contained the sports field at the top. He had spent a fair portion of his teenaged life up there.

“Do you miss it?” Sanida asked. Dave shook his head, then wavered a bit.

“I miss the sports. I really enjoyed being on a team.”

“Why didn’t you join the university lacrosse team?” Dave had considered it, but integrating himself with a completely new set of people, who accepted the world around them without question, hadn’t been very appealing.

“I do mixed martial arts at a nearby gym,” he said by way of explanation.

“So that’s how you keep up the physique. Eresh was noticing. Natal is a bit jealous.” Dave looked away at the tease, embarrassed and slightly discomfited.

“Yeah, whatever, he’s the one with two excellent romantic prospects,” he returned quietly, and Sanida laughed in delight.

“I’ll have to share that with Eresh. He’ll get a kick out of it.” Sanida paused after the quiet comment. “He was impressed by you. And I’m not talking about your muscles, now.” Dave snorted a laugh before replying.

“The feeling is mutual,” he murmured. Eresh had continued to be on his mind these past days, and with that, Dave’s footing within his reaffirmed goal had only grown stronger. He wished he could speak with the man again, to get his input on something Dave’s gut was telling him was necessary. He set that thought aside, to learn more about the people they were on their way to meet. “Sani, this family asked to speak with both of us, to get a better read on us, right?”

“Yeah. And like I said, people in their area listen to them. When the petition starts to go public, they are the kind of people who can sway families.” Families outside of the Network, that was. Dave understood her meaning implicitly, and nodded at the wisdom of taking the time to win this family over. 

Sanida was looking at him sideways, and he met her glance, questioningly.

“What is it? I mean, that sounds good to me.”

“No, it’s not that.” She exhaled, revealing her reluctance. “Dave, they are likely to bring up holding some sort of public event.”

“Like, our meet and greets?” he asked, slowly, and hoping for a different answer.

“No. Something more…invigorating.” Sanida looked away at this point, and Dave understood her meaning through her hesitation.

“You mean like a rally.” He didn’t let his burst of satisfaction as this serendipity show, but he did let it reaffirm his instinct that they needed to hold a stronger show of support for their base.

“Yes,” she replied, a faint hiss behind the word. “Dave, we’ve been over this. It’s premature. Too much risk for what we and our constituents might get out of it.”

Dave didn’t respond immediately. He didn’t want to jeopardize support for a rally within their small group, and was selecting his words carefully. 

“This way,” Sanida indicated, and they turned off the main boulevard onto a quieter street lined with apartment buildings. Dave glanced around and was glad to see they were alone on the street. 

“Sani,” he began after another moment, “put yourself in the shoes of one of these families. They see us once, maybe twice, and live on faith that we are doing something. Maybe they can come to one of the meet and greets, but even that might be too visible. If we held a rally, but make it so people can keep themselves anonymous if they wish, it just might hit the emotional chord we are missing, and let them know their faith is not misplaced.”

Sanida didn’t respond immediately, and Dave waited.

“I still think it encourages them to enter into a situation they might otherwise avoid. Dave, these people are ordinary citizens. We have a responsibility to act cautiously with their well-being.”

“You could also see that attitude as patronizing. This effort is a shared responsibility between us and them. They have a right to choose whether to join us or not.”

“In organizing something in public, not matter the precautions, you suggest that it is free of risk,” Sanida countered “They come because they think it is safe. But that is an illusion, and one that we are responsible for!”

Dave felt his jaw tighten slightly and didn’t immediately respond to Sanida’s point. Because it was valid. He ran his hand through his hair, suddenly aware of how tired he was. He hadn’t slept well over the past few weeks, as his mind had made new connections and changed the way he saw the world around him.

Maybe Sanida was right, he considered. It was unwise to rush things, though his gut whispered back that this small gesture wouldn’t be rushed, it would be timely. And yet, if it was something he had to fight his co-conspirators for, it could do more damage than it was worth.

Sanida took advantage of his silence to further expand her argument.

“Dave, these are _families_ who could be exposed. Many with young children. You are inspiring them, and that is a thing to be admired. But we have to be cautious, we can’t let them get hurt.” He sighed, momentarily exhausted.

“OK, what would you have us do?” he asked, and he noticed Sanida relaxed.

“Keep it at the level we have it at for a while. Focus on the small group sessions. Then submit a proposal, possibly followed by a public show of support or some other sort of gesture. Completely anonymous.” 

Slow down. Maybe she was right. It would take some pressure off of him. He wondered if his soul searching had led to him imposing unrealistic expectations upon himself. Looking across the street at that thought, something familiar caught his eye. 

Then he realized where they were.

His eyes trained on the building, counted vertically up eight stories, then locked on the windows to the left. His throat closed.

He had walked Eleni here fewer than 10 times. And a bare handful those had been so much more than a simple walk home.

Desperate to distract his thoughts from the path they were following, he recalled that there was a narrow corridor built into the building at the back to bring more light to the apartments inside, and a small window looked out into it from a room on the eighth floor. He had once suggested to Eleni that he could climb up there. She had snorted, then suggested in return that he reconsider breaking his neck, as her hair wasn’t long enough to aid in his foolish quest. 

He tried to laugh at the memory, but the truth was his thoughts were pulling him in another direction. He realized he was on the verge of losing his composure.

His steps slowed.

He wished the memory that held him captive was that of having sex with Eleni for the first time, in all its awkward glory.

But, it wasn’t. 

Nor was it seeing her, all of her, for the first time, and understanding the dreadful implications of her appearance.

Aberrant hair and eye color. She was a mutant. 

_“Mutants are dangerous. Violent and intent upon domination. They would sow fear in our hearts, and so we are forced to condemn them. Their existence is an abomination and they must be eliminated.”_

That day in Eleni’s room, the words from the sermon at Corella’s church had echoed through his head, and at first his mind had dominated. Then his heart had fought back. The latter had eventually won, but he had been left feeling mentally and emotionally flayed.

Dave tried to grapple away from the memory. He and Sanida had been talking about a rally, he consciously recalled. Except that Sanida wanted to put it off. Like he had put off Eleni’s reality. His heart hardened.

No. The image that refused to budge from his mind was Eleni, utterly defeated by his assholery, crumpled to the floor, crying so hard she couldn’t breath. Even though they had made up after he had stumbled out of the bed and crawled the bare distance to finally comfort her, that image had haunted him for weeks after. Until another, made infinitely worse by the power of imagination, had taken its place.

Why hadn’t he listened to her? Why hadn’t he left well enough alone? He had asked himself that in those wretched moments. So desperate had his desire to unknow Eleni’s terrible secret been, that he had hoped maybe she had the power to turn back time, and to do undo all that had just been done. 

He saw now, that it had been too big and he had been overwhelmed by the massive unsolvable problem that was Eleni’s life. In the end, it had been easier to leave it in the box of lies his father had created.

And he had managed to do so quickly, for as he had left Eleni’s apartment that day, he has spared a thought not for hell in which she had just told him she lived, but for the next time they would have sex.

Dave hit bottom again. 

“Dave?” He looked up to meet Sanida’s eyes at her concerned tone, but didn’t respond. At some point, he had stopped walking, paralyzed by his thoughts.

“What’s wrong?”

Distantly, he shook his head. He came back to himself because he had to, and surprisingly found his mental footing solidly grounded. He had to learn from his mistakes, and the next forward step was right in front of him.

It was time for a rally.

Casting one final glance back at the apartment building, he looked ahead and changed his tact.

“Sanida,” he said as he strode to catch up with her, “we need to plan our next private meeting. And make it a time and place where Eresh can join us.”


	30. Chapter 29

**ELENI**

“Hey there,” the warm voice made Eleni’s skin tingle. She turned to Matthew, feeling shy in spite of the previous day’s intimacy. 

“Hi,” she murmured as his lips met hers. Someone walking by made an obscene comment, but it went right through Eleni. They were at the ballet school. Eleni was waiting for her costume to be fitted and Matthew had just arrived from his classes. A moment of goodness, Eleni noted, and she cherished the feeling.

When they parted, she started to pick up a sense of urgency from him. 

Pulling back she looked at him questioningly. He didn’t even smile.

“What is it?”

“Bright.” It took a moment of thought, but then Eleni’s stomach disappeared.

“Oh, god, how could we forget? Have they been contacted again by the military?”

“Not aggressively, but G spoke with them about what is happening, and they are scared. They occasionally get messages asking if they are free yet. I feel like an idiot for not thinking of them sooner.” Eleni nodded miserably. “I need to go find my dad so he can contact Greystone.”

“Go. Go!” she said, not unkindly, but echoing his own urgency. He nodded and turned away.

“Eleni, we need you at the fitting!” Madelyn Frost’s voice echoed down the hall.

Eleni slowly made her way to the room in question. The glow of goodness, was now a blade of anxiety and guilt sliding into her gut. She pushed the feeling away. She had to function.

A numbness settled on her as she donned the exquisite costume she would wear as Odette in her human form. White with silver accents. She gazed at in the mirror, trying to resurrect some of the joy she had anticipated at this event. Instead, it triggered a memory of a similar costume she had once had, and goosebumps rose on her arms and back.

“You are quite tense. Can you relax please?”

Eleni forced herself to unclench her teeth and relax her muscles as the tailor worked. Trying to bring herself back to a better place, she focused on the fact that this was her dream. To dance on a stage in a proper costume, in a proper performance.

_You looked so beautiful. Like a princess._

“Please, child, relax.”

“Eleni, what is the matter?” Madam P noticed the designer’s agitation and came over. Eleni forced her muscles to unclench. “Will this be a problem on stage?”

“No Madam P,” she quickly assured her teacher and she recognized that it was true. On stage, she was in control. Here fixed to a pedestal and unable to move, she was vulnerable. 

_Eleni, I just want to talk to you. Really talk. There’s so much to tell you._

She shook the thoughts away and focused on being Odette. Her chin rose.

_Shan’s helping me out to annoy your brother. _

_We’re taking her somewhere nice, right? With a bed?_

It became hard to breath.

_Shan, I told you…we’ll figure that out…Eleni, forget about that and listen to me…_

“Child, you must stay still!”

She had to get out of here. 

“Madam P, can we finish this later?” It was an effort to keep her voice calm.

“He is almost done, Eleni. You look a vision in this costume.” Eleni’s chest tightened with tears she refused to cry as the memory crushed her attempts to suppress it.

_…I would never have known you, except that I got dragged to that ballet store with my sister on the way to dinner at Davio’s. And there you were, in that costume, absolutely perfect. Now, you’ll be mine to cherish. Just like Senator Kelly has your mom. No matter who I marry, I’ll have you to remind me of real love at the end of the day. I can’t wait to see you dance. And I’m going to treat you better than your father ever did. I’m going to treat you right.”_

“Madam P, she’s trembling.” Madam P’s face came into focus in front of Eleni, her brow furrowed as she looked at her star dancer. Eleni looked straight ahead trying to calm herself, trying to be what her dance teacher needed at that moment. Distantly she felt echoes of concern through the bond and doubled down on her emotions. Nonetheless, her relief was palpable at Madam P’s next words.

“Let’s finish another time, Drevan.” Eleni quickly climbed down from the step stool and quickly went to remove the wretched costume, nearly gasping for breath.

“I’ll go practice,” Eleni said diligently when she came out, changed back into plain leotard and tights.

“No child, go back to the house and rest.” Nodding, Eleni quickly withdrew to safety. 

Walking down the hall to the kitchen, she berated herself. What was wrong with her? After everything she had been through, why she couldn’t make it through a simple fitting? A fitting she had wanted, she added, forcing responsibility onto herself. She clenched her jaw..

At the house, she passed from one room to the next at random, moving or playing with items she found on the tables and shelves around her. Anything to keep her busy. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to steady her breathing. 

She sat on the couch, but the memory of two bodies pressed against on either side of hers made her stand and move again. 

Matthew came.

“Elle, what is it?” She shook her head arms still crossed in front of her.

“Just an unpleasant memory,” she mumbled as she walked over and leaned her head on his chest. His arms went around her, and finally she was able to disengage her own and he pulled her closer. “Any news about Bright?”

She felt Matthew’s head move above hers.

“My dad said he’d put the call in immediately. Greystone will act on it as soon as he has the information, I know that. Elle, can I do something? Get you some water maybe?”

The tenseness eased in her shoulders, and she pressed further into Matthew’s solid form.

“I just don’t want to be alone right now.” They stood in silence.

Matthew’s embrace helped make the memory recede, but that left the present. The present where people she cared about were being hurt and threatened because of her. 

Her mother had been right, Eleni thought bitterly. Her presence in the world was only a danger. Her existence could only ever cause hurt and pain. Her decision to commit to the ballet seemed like a bad joke now. 

Holding Matthew, though, she knew she would stay. She would push through the performance, putting everything she had into it. And then it would all be over.

**MATTHEW**

Matthew held his girlfriend, recognizing the feelings of vulnerability, loss-of-control and fear in her. Part of him wanted to know what was causing it, but part of him wanted to stay as far away from those feelings as possible. He was still exhausted from yesterday’s emotional interactions. The resulting hesitation stilled his lips.

Anyway, he told himself, the rehearsal was still going, and they needed to get back to them as soon as they could. It was not the time for an in-depth discussion. 

Slowly she relaxed. The feelings subsided to sadness and guilt, then resignation, then nothing.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.

“No.” She looked up at him as she pulled away. “I wish we could just stay here this afternoon.”

“Me too,” he murmured, leaning his forehead on hers.

“Can you stay a bit tonight?” she whispered. He nodded against her.

“Yeah, for a bit.” Humble plans made, they stood up and returned to the rehearsal.

After Eleni peeled off to go to the auditorium, Matthew saw his father finishing up with a small group of dancers.

“Any news?” Adam gave him an exasperated look.

“It hasn’t even been an hour, Mattie. And they are not going to drag this person away against their will. Go rehearse!” 

Matthew felt the man’s confidence was misplaced, but acquiesced to his father’s command. 

At dinner, Adam still had no updates from Greystone, though he did have another topic to share.

“Matthew, Eleni, you know G and Bright better than I, so I wanted to run this by you. I’d like to offer them positions at the vineyard.”

“Adam, that is so generous of you!” Madam P exclaimed. “The military’s treatment of these two is unreasonable! I think that would be a fine solution.”

Matthew recalled he had had a similar thought in the past, and the mixed feelings that had come with it.

“Why would that provide protection?” Eleni asked. “Would you have some authority to keep the military at bay if you are their employer?”

“There are competition clauses that lend an owner some claim to a production units’ workers.” Adam responded, “They were put in place to keep owners from poaching workers from other units. I think it will make a difference in this case as well.”

Eleni took that in quietly before adding a second thought.

“It would take G from the Towers. He is very committed there. Bright works there, too,” Eleni said.

“The Towers? Is that the youth club he started?” Madam P asked. Eleni nodded.

“It’s what they call the building he uses. It has two tall towers, though they were never finished. He only uses the bottom floor.”

Madam P’s face stilled at Eleni’s description. Matthew thought some sort of understanding clicked behind the woman’s eyes, but she simply smiled sadly before responding.

“I see.” She glanced at Adam. “The vineyard would give them greater protection.” 

“It would,” Adam agreed. Matthew felt that was true as well, though he couldn’t say why in the moment. “I understand your point, Eleni, but their work at the Towers is not linked to any UpMountain family who could advocate for them.”

“But you are already involved. How would hiring them make it different? Anyway, shouldn’t they be able to advocate for themselves?” Eleni challenged.

“If they have the resources to do so, they can,” Adam responded, though he didn’t respond to Eleni’s first question. Silence reigned at the table for a minute. 

Still dwelling on what exactly it would mean for G and Bright to be employed by them, Matthew made a note to read the employment contracts they used at the vineyard before he spoke.

“Maybe as a last resort,” he suggested out loud.

“Yes. I’ll mention it to Greystone as well, to make sure it wouldn’t complicate things more.”

As the topic concluded, Madam P raised another one.

“Adam, have you been reading the editorials?”

“I’ve been avoiding them and letting my lawyer fill me in when necessary,” came Adam’s wry response. Madam P pinned the grown man with a disparaging look.

“That is not wise.”

“No, but it is coping.” This time the response was flippant. Then the man sighed. “What are they saying, Natalya?”

“They are casting doubt on the current practice of adoption. Too much flexibility, they say. There are suggestions that, going forward, all potential adopters as well as adoptees are thoroughly screened for competence and compatibility.”

“They are starting on the edges. It’s too soon to go in for the kill,” Adam mused. “Mattie, you’ll be hearing about that.”

“What? You adopted us years ago. And we are basically adults; it’s not like they are going to take us away.”

“No, but you and myself are going to be listed as reasons the current system doesn’t work.” Matthew blinked and laughed in disbelief, as Eleni stepped in with an analysis

“Because you are supporting a couple of people from the DownMountain? Even though one is a friend who arrived here with Matthew?” she asked, and Adam nodded. “And you allowed it to happen.”

“Exactly. Many see that as an unhealthy indulgence that I permitted. Anyway, it may come up around you.” Adam directed his comments back to Matthew. “I want you to be prepared.” Matthew dismissed the concern, but his father wasn’t done. “And it connects back to the stuff that came up at our meeting with Greystone,” the man added, reluctantly. “We still need to talk about that.”

“Let’s do it on the walk home,” Matthew said.

“When we get home,” Adam modified. “It’s not a conversation we want people overhearing.” Matthew thought his father’s caution was extreme.

Their plans were derailed, of course, when after dinner Eleni reminded Matthew of his promise to stay.

“Tomorrow,” he said firmly to his father at the man left, not wanting the topic to be forgotten again. 

Matthew went over to the couch, and was relieved when Eleni joined him there and didn’t suggest they go upstairs.

“What happened earlier?” he probed gently.

“Just a bad experience from a past life,” she replied evenly, equilibrium returned. Matthew pulled her close, happy that she was feeling better. 

The next day, Hulio stopped by the dance studio, alone.

“What brings you by?” Matthew asked, when he had a chance to sit down next to the man.

“A couple things.” The young man seemed nervous. “I heard about Bright. And the military being after them.”

Matthew nodded.

“We’re adding them to the case.” His father had messaged him the information earlier that day. “Don’t worry, we’ll keep them safe.” He didn’t know why he said something he couldn’t be sure was true.

Hulio stared at the distant stage.

“G, he’s tough. But Bright is…they’re not. I’m not saying they are a pushover, but…they’re gentle.”

“Yeah,” Matthew replied, solemnly. 

“Kind of like you.”

“What?” He looked over to see the other man smiling, though it was brief.

“I’m worried. They couldn’t take what those bastards have been doing to G. You make sure you keep them out of there.”

“I will.”

Hulio sighed, and it seemed his worries were hardly alleviated by Matthew’s words.

“There’s something else I wanted to ask you.”

“Shoot.”

“So, I heard that I might be offered a gig at the Hellfire Club.”

“What? Hulio, that’s great! It’s what you wanted, right?”

“Yeah. But…it sounds like it would be on a weekday, and I’d be opening for someone else. I wondered if I’d be selling myself short.”

Matthew thought for a moment, trying to recall things Selene had said about the running of the club. It was an effort not to recall anything else about his interactions with the woman.

“I don’t think so. They try to get hot acts as soon as possible, and this is one way they do it. Because, like you said, they are usually booked up for months. I think it’s just a way to get you in now.”

“In case I’m a flash in the pan. Reap the benefits while they can,” Hulio grumbled.

“Which you’re not going to be!” Matthew returned firmly. “And they’ll be able to say they knew you were going to be great.” Hulio’s popularity was on the rise, and two of the three singles he had released had gone to the top ten. “Monday through Wednesday are pretty quiet there.”

“Yeah…so maybe if it’s a Thursday or a Sunday…” The man went quiet in thought for a minute, “Thanks, man. You coming this week?” he asked, referring to his first live performance.

“Yes, Elle and I will be there.” Hulio bumped his arm as he spoke, and following his friend’s gaze Matthew saw Master Trenaw coming their way. “I better get back,” he said to Hulio’s rueful grin.

That night, sitting down to dinner at his own home for the first time in months, he jumped right into the conversation that had been waiting for several days.

“So, what do I need to know about you and the Head? You’ve never had anything good to say about the man, and have always suggested we avoid him. And now I learn there is some connection between you two from the past. Why is this an issue for G and Bright’s case?” 

Adam had the decency to look chagrined. He steepled his face in his hands for a moment before speaking. Then he said the last thing Matthew would have expected.

“He tried to adopt you and Jae.”

“Wha—what?” Goosebumps rose on Matthew’s arms. “But, you got us right when we came in, right?” And if he’d wanted us, he would have gotten us, Matthew thought but didn’t say out loud, so strong was his relief that that hadn’t happened.

“I did. It seemed like serendipity. As you know, Madam P had suggested I adopt, and I had gone through the paperwork and the interviews, but I hadn’t been in any rush. And then that day, she, Madam P, showed up and said ‘we’re going’ and there you were.” Adam smiled at the memory. “Jae was happy to play with her blocks, but you just sat there and didn’t engage. So I sat and played with Jae, and you slowly came closer until you were next to me. And I knew I wanted to be there for you. I started the adoption process immediately.”

“But…”

“But the next day, I was told there was an issue. That there was another party laying claim on you. I lawyered up, and had clearly been there first. I had been determined a fit home. There was nothing to stop me, and I brought you and Jae home that day sure my lawyers would deal with the challenge. But it proved more difficult.”

Matthew’s brow furrowed.

“You directly challenged the Head.” Adam bowed his head slightly.

“I didn’t know it was him at that point. He tried to keep his name out of it…he had been working on some projects that had made him a bit unpopular. There was some big construction project DownMountain right around then. And, keep this in mind Matthew, this all stayed very quiet. It never got into the papers. But his involvement in the adoption case was eventually leaked into the circles.”

Matthew was silent for a moment while that information settled into him.

“But you won…,” he finally prompted his father. Adam keeping up his challenge while his opponent was revealed as the Head made his stomach sink.

“The military had stepped in at that point, claiming that since they had recovered you and Jae, they had a say in your wellbeing. And since you were already home with me, they argued it was best for you to remain there.”

Matthew was still trying to get his mind around the fact that his father had gone head to head with the ruler of the Montagne. And won.

“It doesn’t make sense. The man can make all the rules, if he wants to, right?” he wondered out loud. If Erik Lensherr XII had come out with his claim, there would have been no contradicting him.

“Like I said, he had been doing some stuff that people didn’t like. I assumed that he didn’t want to make it worse.”

“But he’s never been very popular, from what I’ve heard. And it’s never seemed to bother him.” Even though they were alone in their private home, Matthew found himself lowering his voice.

Adam shrugged.

“Probably some political reason then. Katyana would have understood it. She always had a head for that stuff, the subtle balances of power that those people entertain.” Wanting to move away from the topic that woman, Matthew pressed on with the conversation.

“Greystone said this would be the ‘third’ round.” Adam looked up at him, and it was clear he wished his son had missed that comment. The man sighed heavily.

“Katyana.” Matthew blinked, irritated that his attempt to avoid an even more unpleasant conversation had just failed. Nonetheless, he made the logical, though somewhat unbelievable, connection.

“They were together.” Adam nodded. “But she wasn’t a mutant.” Adam gave another nod, slow this time.

“They only discovered that a couple of days before she died. She was so exceptional in every other way, it was hard to believe she wasn’t a mutant.” Matthew disregarded his father’s wistfulness.

“They couldn’t have been together, then,” he stated, feeling like he was missing something.

“They were engaged. He refused to break it off,” Adam explained quietly. Matthew took in that stunning revelation, that their ruler, the de facto leader of the mutant cause, had defended his relationship with a non-mutant. Adam, long accustomed to the idea, looked to the side. “Mattie, while the general public believes Katyana had an affair with me, a lot of people in the circles know or suspect what I did…,” the man shook his head and looked ill, “and at the time people would actually thank me for it…”

Dreadful understanding sank into Matthew.

“You drugged Katyana to break up her relationship with the Head,” he said numbly.

Adam nodded miserably.

“I didn’t think of it that way at the time. I was so heartsick without her, and seeing her with him just made it worse. When the revelation that she was flat came out it seemed like a chance to get her back but…I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

Matthew ignored the statement of the obvious, and with effort connected the dots back to their original conversation. 

“So, you…’slept with’ Katyana,” he couldn’t bring himself to state the true nature of their intercourse, “while she was engaged to the Head, and then you won the adoption battle against him.” Matthew sat back. 

Adam nodded, miserable, and his head bowed and cradled in his hands.

“So, you’ve won twice,” Matthew continued quietly, and tried not to think of how his father had ‘won’ the first round.

Adam’s hands tensed on his forehead, then raked back through his hair. He looked up.

“I know. It doesn’t make things better, though, does it?”

“We are not the ones on the line.” Matthew said, numbly continuing his analysis. “It’s G and Bright. But you’ve backed them. It would be so easy for the Head to deal you a blow. And he has plenty of cause to do so. And, this time, the circles would welcome it.” And, it would put his friends at the mercy of the military.

“I’m sorry, Mattie.” Matthew didn’t respond. He understood his father couldn’t have understood the potential outcome of his actions, so many years ago, and that the man already held himself accountable for what he had done to Katyana. Nonetheless, Matthew couldn’t stop himself from blaming the man for dooming his friends.

“I’m going upstairs,” he said, finding he had lost his appetite. Adam just nodded and watched his son go.

The next day, the atmosphere between them still subdued, Matthew joined his father for a lunch at Greystone’s office. G was absent, as he was focused on a few kids from the Towers who had gone astray. Nonetheless, with a promise that Matthew would update him in full, the man had given his blessing for the meeting to go ahead. 

Before they moved on to the details of the case, Greystone had some news.

“Nell told me the Council is reviewing the petition. While they wouldn’t start reviewing the case for a few weeks, we’ll know if they will take it in a couple of days.”

Recalling the conversation with his father from the day before, Matthew felt his appetite disappear again.

“Thank you for telling us,” Adam responded quietly.

They moved on to the case itself. The news wasn’t good.

“I had my team do another thorough combing of this contract, Matthew and Jae’s adoption contracts, and other examples we found that were relevant. We even found a couple that had gone to court for a variety of reasons, which was enlightening.”

“And?” Matthew said, hoping for something.

“My initial assessment has only been reinforced. The contracts are solid, based on current precedent.”

“Doesn’t that go against the Montagne’s rejection of slavery?” Matthew asked, though he already suspected it was futile.

“That argument has been used. And overridden by the necessity to protect the Montagne. The ‘biological destinies’ clause and the one pertaining to the subsequent generations failed on that as well. If there is a powerful mutant available, the Montagne needs their assistance.”

“Against what?” Matthew burst out, angry and frustrated. “The Rabbits?”

“Mattie, take a minute to calm down,” Adam urged, laying an annoying hand on his son’s arm. “Greystone, I agree with my son’s sentiment. What is this danger that threatens us to the point that they claim ownership on the lives on individuals? I mean, historically, attacks from the Remnants weren’t unknown though never successful. But there hasn’t been an attack in centuries.”

Greystone tipped his head at that point.

“There is another threat,” the man responded.

“The Citadel?” Adam scoffed. “Where they kill all their mutants? We should be attacking them to stop that atrocity!”

“Their population is nearly twice the size of ours.”

“But they are not mutants.” Greystone raised his eyebrows.

“After your ballet is done, you will come to dinner at ours, and Yanella can make the pertinent arguments. Numbers do matter. But, also, apparently the Citadel has made greater technological advancements than ourselves. They have not been idle over the past thousand years.”

Adam narrowed his eyes. 

“But, if it were a real threat, it would be in the news.” 

“It should be, but people don’t really want to read about that. And, the military prefers to keep these developments quiet. You will find discussion of them in academic papers. Shall we get back to the case?”

Matthew, finally calm, nodded, though mentally he made a note to go find the scholarly articles Greystone had mentioned. He knew of the Citadel’s technology from Eleni, complete with airplanes and tiny computers. Had they also rediscovered the bombs?

“What are our options, Greystone? It doesn’t look good for us,” Adam asked bluntly. The lawyer was not deterred.

“We need to be realistic, but not defeated. While cases against the military have not fared well, there are other cases that can support us. Further,” Greyston’s eyes flickered between Matthew and his father, “the Head’s position on this issue is somewhat vague.”

“Really?” Matthew said in disbelief. “My dad filled me in, and it appears the man has every reason to rule against us.”

“Save for the fact that he would be handing the plaintiffs to the military.”

“Would he even care about that?” Greystone, looking down at his papers, was quiet for a minute.

“He might.” Adam perked up.

“Will Yanella speak with him?” The lawyer met his eyes.

“I cannot speak to that. You have made the request, and she will act on it as she sees fit. And you must know that I take client confidentiality seriously: I share no details of this case with her.” Frustration flashed across Adam’s face.

“Then how can you say the Head would care for two sewer rats?” Matthew challenged.

“Please don’t use that term, Matthew,” Greystone rebuffed him, catching and holding his gaze. “These are people my wife represents every day.” 

“I’m sorry.” The man tipped his head in acknowledgement of the apology.

“While the current Head chooses to keep a low profile, in the past he has indicated a sympathy for those in the DownMountain.”

“Are you talking about that project? But that was for…the others,” Adam said dismissively, though Matthew was again not sure of to what his father was referring.

“The non-mutants he decreed could be allowed into the Montagne in light of our struggle to grow our population,” Greystone clarified in a dry and patronizing tone, as Matthew let that information sink in. The lawyer’s patience with them was clearly thin. Adam caught the man’s tone and paused before responding.

“I didn’t follow the stories closely. Just the highlights,” he replied in a cautious defense. “I heard the project was a complete failure.” Greystone waved his hand.

“Yes, it ended badly, but while the Head used that specific building as a physical manifestation of his decree, the intention, if you read the entire document, would have benefitted all of the DownMountain population. The man might be sympathetic. And there is no indication that he has a bias in favor of the military.” For a moment it seemed as if Greystone might say more, but he didn’t and the silence reigned.

“It doesn’t seem like something to set our hopes on.” Matthew finally muttered.

“No, it’s not, and the strength of our case is our top priority. But, the position the Head could take on this matter is hardly straightforward.” Matthew found that to be a meaningless statement.

Greystone moved on, and for a good hour they poured over the details of the case. Matthew was glad to sit back rubbing his eyes under his glasses, when they were done.

“I will let you know of the Council’s decision as soon as I get word,” the man said in closing. “Before you go, there is one more item I wanted to mention.” The man pulled a handwritten note out as he spoke. “A junior member of my staff was collecting some information from the military, pertaining to the various contracts we were reviewing, and reported that a comment had been made to her that struck her as odd. It suggested that there might be another way to resolve this conflict. That a deal that might be struck. That there was something you could offer in exchange for the contractual release of the plaintiffs.”

Matthew tensed.

“What kind of deal?” Adam said, intrigued, but Matthew’s mind jumped to comments about retaliation against his father’s recent actions with the wines.

“Dad, it probably has to do with the vineyard,” he said urgently Adam turned to him, disbelief on his face.

“Mattie, I don’t believe--"

“Actually, it wasn’t the vineyard.” Greyston cut in. His eyes fixed on Matthew. “It’s you. My associate suspects the comment was made in jest, but nonetheless, passed it along to myself. As I have seen your adoption contract and know of your training, I think there be more to it.”

“Ok,” Matthew said, slowly, nonplussed. “What is it?”

“The comment was that if Matthew Summers came back and shared a bit of his love with the military, it might make things easier.” Matthew half-stood, bristling at the phrasing. Adam laid a hand on his arm to calm him as Greystone finished. “If you are interested, I can make some inquiries to find out whether the comment was a plant or truly a jest.”

The military. Matthew sank down onto the couch. He had never wanted to join the military. After he broke up with Jenna, a few friends who had gone that path had tried to cajole him into trying it out, but he had rejected them to the point of alienating a couple of them. They had been surprisingly persistent. At the time, however, the thought of joining their ranks had turned his stomach. It still did, and where before his reasons had been vague, they were now rooted in fertile ground.

The meeting closed, and Matthew and Adam left for the ballet school. As they walked, Matthew found himself dragging his hand through his hair and exhaling in frustration. The ballet was starting in a week and a half, and would be finished within two. He had been looking forward to having more time to focus on him and Eleni. Now, however, the end of the ballet would be followed in short order by this trial, which was promising all the stress but none of the high of the performance.

This mood hounded Matthew through rehearsal, and to Hulio’s performance that evening. He and Eleni were seated around a small table, drinks in front of both of them. The conversation had been minimal. 

Eleni had sat in on his phone call to G, made just before they came out, and was up to date on the case. Matthew had left out the more personal details, such as his father’s history with the Head and the military’s disgusting comment. Even with that, he suspected his mood was bleeding onto Eleni. She was currently staring out onto the dance floor, though her eyes were distant and her emotions low. He sighed, and took another sip of his drink.

Hulio was to come on shortly, and for now music was being spun by a DJ at the front of the small club. Dancers moved on the floor a short distance in front of them, and Matthew tried to get into the atmosphere. A year and a half ago, he would never had put up with sulking at a table when there was fun to be had.

His eyes came to rest again on Eleni. She was now focused on the dancers, her face twisted into a bewildered expression. Glad to have something to distract him, he noted elements of shock and disbelief through the bond.  
“What’s is it?” 

“What? Oh nothing,” she lied.

“Come on, Elle.” 

She blushed.

“That’s…dancing?” She tipped her chin towards the dance floor.

Matthew looked back at where the bodies, often pressed together, moved in time to the music.

“Um, yes?” he responded, not understanding the connection.

“It’s…indecent.”

Matthew actually laughed.

“They don’t dance like that at th--,” he caught himself. “So, you’ve never seen dancing like this before?”

She shook her head.

“It looks like…something else.” He chuckled again.

“Want to try?” The look she returned him was half scandalous and half curious. “We can practice at home, first.” He said softly, though he tensed slightly at the suggestion. He shook the feeling off; he had always loved breaking it down at a club.

Eleni was in the process of giving him a look when a familiar voice interrupted their banter.

“Elle, Matt! How are you? G didn’t come?” Matthew turned to see Travis, and smiled as he stood. “No, no, don’t do that. I just came over to say hi.”

“Well, hi, Lord Travis,” he intoned formally, though he smiled slightly as he did. With a slight shock, he realized he was teasing the younger man.

“Ignore him, Travis,” Eleni said pointedly. “He’s in a mood. G couldn’t make it, but will be at the Hellfire gig.”

“That’s a done deal?”

“Not yet, but given how popular Hulio’s songs are so far, it’s a safe bet,” Matthew answered.

“OK.” The prince seemed at a loss for a moment. Matthew glanced around and spotted the table he had come from. He didn’t bother waving to Craig, who sat there next to Ebony. Alant Shaw was at the table as well.

“You’re here with Alant?” he asked, intrigued. Travis had never been seen out with anyone before.

“Yeah. Kind of. Um,” Travis angled towards Eleni, but spoke to both of them, “if it comes up with G, let him know it’s just a friendly thing.”

Eleni flickered her eyes to Matthew, but nodded reassurance to her classmate.

“Sure.”

“Well, maybe I’ll see you later, then,” Travis said, awkwardly, and he returned across the edge of the dance floor to his table.

Matthew moved his chair closer to Eleni, and put his arm around her.

“What’s going on between G and Travis?” he asked quietly, as she leaned into him. “It’s probably not a good idea.”

“Well then you have nothing to worry about, because nothing is going on between them.” Not yet at least, Matthew thought to himself, and suspected that Eleni thought the same.  
Hulio came on and the crowd cheered. Matthew pulled Eleni closer.

“Let me know if you change your mind about the dancing,” he murmured, glad for a moment, however brief, that felt normal.

**JENNA**

“It’s not the Club, that’s for sure,” Seth da Costa muttered, looking around the limited though well-appointed venue. They had just settled into semi-private plush seats on the raised level of the small club, with an excellent view of the stage.

“Seth, you need to get out more,” Selene purred, one of her hands idly running through his hair. “You can’t live at the Club.”

“So long as you are there, I intend to,” the man bent down to kiss his date, and Jenna looked away. Selene was playing with him; Seth’s family was committed to the military, but other than that they had no assets of note: nothing that could further enhance the Allerdyce portfolio should they marry. He was supposed to be good in bed, however, which was the reason Selene had him on her arm for now. That was the second most important thing Selene looked for in a partner.

“At least they have a mezzanine. It gives us a bit of privacy,” Calen Guthrie chimed in, and he reached over to pull Jenna closer. She obliged only so much as was necessary.

Selene had asked her to bring someone to even out the numbers, and Calen had been available and easy. Jenna felt a wave of revulsion, however, any time she recalled that she’d have to put him off later in the evening, as he no doubt expected to sleep with her. She had never been with anyone but Matthew. 

Well, any man but Matthew, she amended. Somehow, her time with Tracy Lensherr inhabited a separate part of her memories than her daily life, as if, during that whirlwind of breathless nights, romantic rendezvous’ and flashy public outings, she had temporarily stepped into someone else’s reality. She barely counted it as something that impacted her life, though of course, it had, and drastically.

“Look whose here,” Seth said, indicating an area to the left on the floor down below them. Jenna glanced, then wished she hadn’t. They would expect a reply. 

“It looks like she finally a took a shower,” she quipped, a lame but satisfactory diss, and successfully avoiding direct mention of Matthew.

Looking down at him, however, her heart ached. Seeing him out brough back so many memories of times past. Unfortunately, they were quickly followed by memories of last time they had been together, and she found herself wincing and looking away.

Her mother had had several talks with her, soothing talks, telling her that she had let her feelings get away from her and that she needed to let go and spend some time on herself. The woman didn’t dwell on what Jenna had done, but she also didn’t try to help Jenna find any way to fix the situation.

Her mother was a fool. 

Her father had it right. He regularly reminded her of how stupid she had been, and she knew it was the truth. 

_You lost everything, Jen. That boy, the vineyard, the chance at a life everyone in the UpMountain would envy! _

Her timing had been all off, that had been her mistake. Last fall, when she had sensed Matthew opening up to her again, she had gone against the advice of her friends, and trusted that the strong and deep connection between herself and her ex would work its magic. She had been wrong.

If only she had taken Selene up on her offer sooner, Matthew would never have gone back to the sewer rat, never become more attached to her, and Jenna’s gentle intervention would have succeeded. In that version of events, Matthew would be sitting by her side this day, and everything would be right again.

“They aren’t even dancing. How boring.” Jenna moved her drink to her lips at Selene’s comment to cover how lost in her thoughts she had become. She didn’t agree with Selene’s sentiment, however: she had no desire to see them dance together in this setting.

“I remember watching you and Mattie dance…” Seth said, the comment lined with suggestions of things Jenna would rather were private. Selene had made that an impossibility, however, so, the dancer silently bristled and felt violated when Calen whistled long and low. She knew the truth of what they were implying though she wished they didn’t.

Jenna focused instead of the only aspect of their suggestions that should be public knowledge: when she and Matthew had danced at clubs like this, everyone had wanted to be them. That was the way it had been. 

“Something’s wrong with his head, Jen. I mean, he’s forgotten how to have fun!” Seth was still talking.

“I know,” she said, shaking her head as if in pity for her former boyfriend. In truth, she was holding tight to the one thing these people didn’t know: how Matthew had been in private. Thoughtful, caring and committed. Her heart began to ache again.

It occurred to Jenna that his current behavior was more demonstrative of his true nature. It was likely he didn’t push the girl to dance because she didn’t want to. A simple show of care that would never occur to most of her friends, male, female or other.

Trying to distract herself from Matthew, Jenna focused her attention on the performer.

“So that’s the one?” she asked Selene, who nodded.

“We might have him open for an act next Sunday. I met him at a small event the Smith’s put together.”

Jenna eyed her friend. Selene despised the Smith’s, and normally avoided their gatherings when at all possible. 

“He’s a friend of Mattie’s, you know. I told you that. You could’ve just asked him,” she pointed out.

Selene’s brow furrowed, but it was a sympathetic gesture.

“You know I’ve cut off contact with Matthew in solidarity to you.” Jenna did know, and she appreciated it. Selene flipped her hand in the air, a gesture of annoyance, as she continued. “It was a favor to my brother. He owes me now.” 

The dancer turned back to the performance, nodding though not really caring about her friend’s explanation. The current song was soulful and moody and fit her own mood well. She zoned out the conversation around her and lost herself to listening. 

Yet, when she came back to herself, she was looking at Matthew again. Still not dancing, he was holding the sewer rat close. Her head was pulled against his shoulder, and his cheek rested on her stupid scarf. As his former girlfriend looked on, Matthew lifted his head and angled it down. It was too much. 

Jenna casually collected her bag and stood.

“Where you going?” Selene asked. “We just got here.”

“To the bathroom,” Jenna managed. “I’ll be right back.” She wished she wouldn’t.

The last thing she wanted to do was watch the man she loved kissing someone else.

“You can leave your bag here, you know.” Jenna waved off the comment as she left.

She’d need it to redo her make up.

**ERIK**

Erik observed his dinner companion. Her tight, wooly curls were clasped into an elegant bun, her deep brown skin seemed to glow and her brown eyes were as sharp as ever. She had changed little from a time, years ago, when they had known each other well. Back then, Yanella Darkholme had shone with potential, and he had thought that had been just what he needed in his life.

In the present, however, while she had grown fully into that potential, she was more of a thorn in his side than someone he admired.

“Erik, there is another matter I’d like to discuss.”

She had just finished outlining her stance on the ‘Summers catastrophe’ as Erik had come to think of it. The one that not only refused to go away, it appeared to come a step closer to his doorstep each day. 

“What is it, Yanella?” he bent to take another bite as he listened.

“I…I am going to be blunt.” This statement made Erik pause, for he knew Yanella well enough to know she meant what she said. “It is about…the future prospects of the Montagne. The Montagne’s leadership, that is.”

“You mean Tracy. And possibly Travis.”

“I mean Tracy,” the woman specified, and they were on to the blunt part. Few people would speak criticism of his heir out loud. “Eric, you see how she acts. Her recent antics have only gotten worse. And you know she is working with Colonel Garrett.” Erik nodded, impressed at what the Baron knew, though, he doubted she knew the whole of the situation. “You see what I am getting at, then?”

“That Tracy would find herself in the same situation as her grandmother? Extremely happy with her rule, especially the part where the decisions she doesn’t care to make are handled by someone else?” Irritation creased Yanella’s brow at his flippant reply.

“No matter what anyone else says, I know you are one of the best Head’s we have ever had.”

Erik tipped is head in fatuous grace at that lie.

“You know it is true,” she pressed. “If you had a child, it would allow us to avoid a potentially volatile situation.” Erik took a deep breath, reevaluating the woman’s willingness to say things that would endanger herself or displease him. He met her eyes as she spoke. “You once asked me if I would consider being the consort to the Head. My stance has never changed. And with my husband’s recent professional decisions in the mix, and our history, such a shift would not necessarily be a surprise.”

Erik sighed, part of him disgusted at the woman’s apparent lack of loyalty, but knowing that it came from a place of wisdom. However, that changed nothing. Having heard the suggestion he probably should take for the safety of the people under the Lensherr shadow, now, and in the future, Erik looked away. 

Just as her stance was unchanged in regards to their relationship, and so was his. He wouldn’t engage in a lie to allay the feelings of his morally barren and socially vicious courtiers. He was surrounded by lies, and but when it came to the things closest to his heart, he refused to live one. Not to mention his own horror at the thought of subjecting one of his offspring to the hell in which he lived. 

No. There was only one family he had ever wanted and he would never betray it, no matter the cost.

He shook his head.

“Yanella, I will pretend this conversation never happened.” Brown eyes went stone hard, and Eric hoped he hadn’t just lost one of his few allies. 

**CITADEL 3021.04.08**

**DAVE**

Dave Kelly’s hand tapped a steady beat as he sat and listened to Sanida’s update. He knew most of it already, however, and his thoughts kept drifting to recent communications from his father. The man was insistent that they meet, and he had hinted that he knew something. Dave wondered if it was something that could jeopardize his plans.

His own anger at the man had finally given way to shame. He recognized now that those feelings hadn't really been the reaction of a man dealing with a tragic loss, but those of a boy who had had something taken away from him. In retrospect, he could see that his father had had no choice. 

Giving his head a small shake, and setting that issue aside for later, Dave focused again on what Sanida was saying. He couldn’t let doubt derail him now, and this meeting was critical. 

“We’ve reached out to 10 new families, all were receptive. Our next meet and greet will be in just over a week. We’ll start spreading the date and time in a few days,” she finished, clearly satisfied. 

He, Sanida, Natal and Eresh were meeting in one of the basement rooms of the Hindu temple. Nodding absently at Sanida’s comment, he judged that the timing was just right for their first rally. His peer eyed him, no doubt thinking about their conversation from just a few days ago. He wanted to make sure everyone had had their say first, however.

“Natal, Eresh. Any thoughts? Anything you have to add?” he asked.

Twin shakes of the head met him. The two men sat side by side, and close this time. Their arms were touching. Natal had stiffened a bit when Eresh had taken that position, but when nothing had come of it, the man had relaxed though he had done nothing more. 

Dave found the closeness that was lacking visible connection, the failure to acknowledge and cherish what was between them, awkward and painful. He willed Natal to know that they were safe here, and that the company was welcoming. He himself had walked or sat at Eleni’s side so many times, unable to touch her, and seeing Natal holding back when there was no need tore at his heart.

He understood, however, that it was not his place to intervene.

“Well then,” he said, taking charge of the discussion, “you probably know that there is something I would like to discuss. Let’s start with the basics. Natal, how are the plans for the rally site going?”

The man shared a glance with Sanida.

“Rally?” Eresh asked.

“Just Dave getting ahead of himself,” Natal grumbled, but he did answer the original question. “That small courtyard I mentioned should work well. My family uses a warehouse between there and the train yard, and we can store supplies in it.” 

“Is the courtyard completely bare?”

“No, there is a statue in the middle.”

“Large, small? Wide, narrow?” Dave sought clarification. He would go look at the courtyard himself if this meeting went well.

“Uh, medium. Wide base, narrow statue.” Dave nodded, satisfied with that.

“OK. We should start getting supplies in. A microphone and portable speakers, the necessary connecting cables, maybe a table.” Sanida cut in.

“Dave, there’s no need. We’ve got the location set, but we’re not going to act anytime soon.” 

“It doesn’t hurt to be prepared,” he countered. “But, why not act soon?”

“The danger, Dave,” she said, clearly annoyed to be repeating herself again. “If we get caught, this whole effort will have been a waste of time.”

“You’re right,” Dave replied, calmly. Denying the truth would undercut his position, and supporting her where he could would strengthen his believability. “You mentioned doing an anonymous show of support.” He pointed out, but she was ready for that.

“Yes, but one with no set time. Something subtle, that only we and the people in the Network would recognize.”

“Then what is the point, if there is no possibility of anyone else recognizing it as a sign?” Eresh cut in, and Dave knew he had been right to include Eresh in these discussions.

“Dave said he wanted to galvanize our base. There is no need to do that in a way that might bring attention to our activities.”

“Isn’t it meaningless if no one else knows?” the man pressed.

“If a tree falls in the woods…” Natal intoned, his tone light with gentle sarcasm. Eresh made a face at his boyfriend, elbowing him slightly, then settling even closer. 

_ Put your arm around him, you idiot._ Dave found himself thinking at Natal. He then used the point the man had unwittingly emphasized to his advantage.

“Eresh, and Natal, are right. If it is something that no one else could possibly notice, it is in a manner, meaningless.”

“I don’t see that,” Sanida challenged.

“Well, think of it this way. On one level we are sending the message that our cause isn’t even worth being discovered. That we don’t see it as truly valuable. That perhaps we are nervous or ashamed of it.” 

Dave’s stomach went soft as Eresh flushed slightly at his comment; he hadn’t intended that.

“Dave, the people of the Network keep their feelings secret every day. They will not see our caution as devaluing our goal!”

“And yet, the Network exists.”

“What do you mean?”

“There is a need there. To create something, something substantial. Something that could be discovered.” Sanida was shaking her head.

“There was a need for emotional release, Dave. The formation of the Network was simply a response to a basic human impulse, to have someone else who understands, to ease the burden we all bear in silence.”

“Yes, and all I am proposing is a small event to not only ease that burden, but give real hope that that burden should not be hidden, and that the cause of their emotional suffering might someday be eliminated.” 

Eresh exhaled and put his head back. Dave could see that he was blinking rapidly. Natal turned his head, concerned, and raised his hand to cup the back of his boyfriend’s head. Then he misunderstood.

“Dave, we can all see that this is pointless, stressful, even. You are wasting our time, here.” Taking his hand from Eresh, who had turned his head slightly into his boyfriend’s gesture, he looked at his girlfriend. “We should have known, Sani. I told you from the beginning: we knew all we needed to know about him from his relationships.”

Dave pressed down his frustration at having the conversation hijacked, but he couldn’t stop himself from taking the bait.

“What do you mean? From my relationships?” he asked piqued. Sanida snorted, and replied.

“You went from lovey-dovey to crash and burn with Heather in a matter of weeks. And Corella…the girls were taking bets on when you were going to announce your engagement by the way she talked. And then you just walked away…to help your sister who you had ignored up until then.” Sanida shrugged. “Natal is right. You were unpredictable, apparently making flash decisions based on how you felt when you woke up that morning. And no matter how much charm you try to package it in, it seems you still are,” she said in a pointed tone, which then turned snide. “It is not a great trait in a politician, by the way.”

The turn in conversation was a non sequitur for Dave, and served only to irritate him further. He knew that his behavior hadn’t really been unpredictable, but Sanida and Natal only knew half the story. 

The problem was, he could never tell them the rest.

He grabbed for something valid that he could use.

“My sister was in danger. I thought you were in the business of helping people,” came his retort. Natal grinned, nastily.

“Really? Was she really in danger? No one knew she was a mutant, and look how far she got. She probably could have kept hiding it if she’d kept being smart. I mean, she could speak a few languages.” The man shrugged. “She was educated at Keio, no big deal.” 

“That’s not the point--”

“No, it is,” Natal cut him off, “because if her being a mutant wasn’t the reason you chased Zach away, then what was? I mean, talk about things not making any sense,” Natal looked at Dave is he spoke, who was dismayed to see true bafflement in his peer’s eyes. He recognized that this conversation was going in the absolute wrong direction, but he couldn’t let it go.

“Oh, and Zach basically stalking her wasn’t a threat?” Dave countered. Natal scoffed.

“Zach wasn’t a bad guy until you made him one. She would have lived far better on his dime than most of the people in this city.”

Dave was stunned to silence.

_A woman whom everyone expects to become someone’s mistress or worse, being pursued by a wealthy man…many would see that as a good situation for her._

His father’s comment, made so long ago, rang with dreadful truth in his brain. The memory was followed swiftly by the conversation at his mother’s, and he knew using Eleni’s murder as proof was a dead end. Was there any way he could get these people to see that Eleni had been in danger?

“Oh, and so long as he was going to pay her, it was fine if he harassed her and kidnapped her? Not to mention that he intended to rape her?!”

“What are you--? Oh my God, you are taking that way too seriously, Kelly.” Natal scoffed, though Dave noticed Eresh sat up at this information.

“What happened?” the man asked, and Dave spoke over Natal’s assertion that Eresh shouldn’t encourage him.

“Ask your boyfriend,” Dave returned. “He apparently remembers this story well. And Sanida, no doubt.” He glanced at the woman, but she refused to meet his eyes. She kept them locked on Natal instead.  
Natal glared at him and spoke sharply.

“I heard it was a joke.”

“What kind of joke?” Eresh asked.

“A joke, huh?” Dave sneered. “Since Natal’s playing coy, I’ll share it with you and let you decide for yourself, Eresh,” he said, and he started reiterating events he’d rather not recall. 

_Dave rushed to get dressed after lacrosse practice. He’d missed the start of too many practices walking Eleni to the office building, and couldn’t do that anymore. So, she was hanging out at the library of the Academy until he finished, and then they would walk together. _

_However, the library closed at 5. He had only 5 more minutes until she was out. _

_Finally changed, he grabbed his bag and rounded the end of the lockers to leave, only to find a group of men milling around in front of the door. Dave tried to push through, and was startled when he was pushed back._

_ “Where are you off to in such a rush, Kelly?” one guy said jokingly. The crowd solidified into a wall of male bodies positioned in between himself and the exit._

_“What, jealous of our success?” he taunted, annoyed. The group of half-dressed men were mostly members of the basketball team. Their season had been a sorry thing in comparison to his lacrosse team’s stellar performance._

_“Maybe. Maybe we’re looking for some tips. You’re a damn good captain, Kelly. Care to share your secrets?” The team laughed. The banter was lighthearted, the laughter was not. Then Dave realized there was one key member of the team, recently recovered, who was conspicuously absent. He looked at the clock. It was 5._

_He didn’t try to ask them to move, betting on the element of surprise. Acting fast, he shouldered one guy standing in the direction of the door, putting the player off balance, then tripped another who moved to intercept him. He dropped and rolled in response to a tug on his bag. Whoever had grabbed him hadn’t expected him to go down, and the bag jerked free. _

_Luck was with him, and the student he had tripped was making it difficult for others to get to him. He raced for the door and made it out. No one followed, and curses echoed out the door behind him. He smirked. If they had been serious about stopping him, they should have gotten dressed first._

_His heart pounding, Dave flew up the steps to the main floor and out the front door into the cool February air. There across the courtyard, Eleni sat on the steps to the girl’s school, Zach Kaldwell flanking her on one side and Shan Pembok on the other. They were sitting very close to her, and Zach was showing her something on his phone. A transport had just entered the courtyard, one with tinted windows so you couldn’t see in. Cursing, Dave raced over._

_Shan spotted him first, and alerted Zach, whose face twisted in annoyance as he saw Dave approach. The tall man stood, and, giving some order to Shan, came down the steps._

_“Leave her alone!”_

_“When are you going to wake up to reality, Kelly?” Zach hissed. “I’m the best thing she’s got going for her.” Peering behind Zach, Dave saw that Shan had a hand on Eleni’s arm, though the man was looking around nervously. Eleni’s face was stone, and when their eyes met she ever so subtly shook her head. He chose to interpret the motion as a message that she wasn’t hurt in any way._

_“She’s not interested! She’s made that clear.” Zach looked to the side as if what Dave had just said was inconsequential._

_“Yeah, well, she’s not seeing straight then, is she? She’ll come around.” The tall man had tried to use his casual glance as a feint, but Dave saw the punch coming in spite of Zach’s ploy. He dodged, then threw his own fist at his opponent’s belly which the man had left open in his arrogance. Jeers from across the courtyard told him that others had emerged from the building._

_As the basketball player doubled over, he grabbed Dave, putting him off balance. Dave moved his body low to stabilize himself, then hitching one hand behind the tall man’s head, brought his right fist up in from the side. The move was awkward, and not as powerful as he would have liked, but nonetheless he made a satisfying connection with the man’s jaw._

_“You effing bastard!” Zach screamed, twisting away and grabbing his jaw. Dave moved to land another blow, but Shan must had moved away from Eleni at some point, because then she was beside him. She grabbed his arm and hauled him out of the courtyard towards the street leaving Zach cursing violently behind them. _

_Once outside the school grounds, Eleni released his arm, and he finally got a chance to focus on her. She was clearly shaken and trying to calm herself with deep breaths._

_“Let’s keep walking,” she said, her voice tight. They were going in the opposite direction from his father’s office building, but Dave said nothing. He considered taking her to a park, but it was already getting dark. After a few minutes, when she seemed to have regained her composure, he pulled her to a stop in front of a store._

_“I don’t want to talk about it.” He had anticipated that, and nodded as he pulled out his phone. He dialed his father. Elle grabbed his arm, urgently._

_“Don’t tell him!” She whispered as his dad answered._

_“Dave?”_

_“Dad, Elle’s…uh…not feeling great. She’s ok, but I’m going to take her straight home.”_

_“OK. Thanks for letting us know.”_

_“Will Katherine be done soon? I don’t want to leave Elle alone.” That earned him a glare, which he ignored._

_“Ah…we’ve had a set-back on the latest bill. Lost some key support, so we’re doing damage control.” His father paused. “Let me see what I can do.”_

_“I can stay with her for a bit.” Dave supplied. There was silence on the other end._

_“Your mother has been on my case because the spotlight on Eleni has brought up the connection between you two.” There had been a picture and short article in one of the smaller papers: him crossing the street with Eleni, the description turning his willing association with his illegitimate half-sister into an alarming character flaw. “She feels that if you continue to be publicly sympathetic towards your sister, it will harm your reputation to the point of endangering future career options. She may have a point.” _

_The last was voiced reluctantly. Dave didn’t care. His reputation could go to hell. Look what worrying about that had gotten him over the last year and a half. Dave held on to the fact that his father hadn’t said no._

_“I’ll stay until you call to say that Katherine is on her way home.” He hung up. The relief in Eleni’s eyes was clear._

_“I’m glad you’ll be there,” she said quietly. He nodded._

_“Why don’t you want them to know?”_

_“My mother is so worried already. I don’t want to make it worse. Nothing happened.”_

_ Dave wasn’t sure about that, but she was safe now and he made no further argument. They headed to her building, picking up some food on the way for dinner._

_As they entered, Dave thought with irony that this should have been his first visit to Eleni’s apartment. It’s wasn’t, of course. It was his third._

_They put the food in the kitchen, neither of them hungry after what had happened, then went to Eleni’s room where they lay on her bed and held each other. Dave finally gave in to the fury Zach’s actions had awoken in him, and gripped his girlfriend tightly. She clung to him, and as calm returned, started talking._

_“They were waiting when I came out. They came over and sat me down. It was only a minute before you came out, but he…” Her voice dwindled. She swallowed._

_“That bastard.” Dave growled, “What did he do, Elle?”_

_“Your dad took me to the ballet store to get that ballet costume fitted. Back in August.” _

_Dave had seen the costume in question, an early birthday present from his father, given to help cheer Eleni up once she was out of the hospital. She had performed in it, a vision of white and silver, on her 17th birthday._

_That same night, Dave had given her a necklace: a stiff, flattened braided chain that with thin, flat strips of silver falling at different lengths across the front to make a serrated pattern reminiscent of the Midnight Sun’s rays. She had worn it last time he had come to the apartment. That and the earrings and the bracelet he had given her. And nothing else._

_ He desperately wrenched his thoughts away from that pleasant memory, and focused on what Eleni was saying. He hoped she hadn’t noticed his distraction._

_“Apparently, Zach was there when we went to the ballet store. He had pictures of me on his phone, from when I was trying it on.” The man had pictures of her on his phone. Dave felt sick with fury, but a rational corner of his mind told him they now knew why Zach had targeted Eleni. She would have been beautiful, and exposed, in a ballet costume. “He was talking about me like he owned me.” _

_She buried her face in Dave’s shirt. He placed his hand on the back of her head, and held her tight to him, bowing his head over hers._

_“Damn him!” Dave hissed. He tried to think of something comforting to say. “We just have to get you to the end of school, Elle. Just a couple more months.” He whispered, feeling impotent. Why couldn’t he do more for her?_

_Given the situation, Eleni was going to join her mother as a member of Robert Kelly’s staff as soon as she finished this year of school. Her education wouldn’t be complete, and Eleni would have to take a test to earn a letter degree that she could use on her resume in the future. It wasn’t ideal, but it was the safest option. Hopefully, in time, Zach would forget about her, and she could find a job more suited to her liking._

_He sighed, and once again tightened his arms around her. He wanted to hold her forever, so that no one could ever harm her._

__Eventually, their hunger caught up with them, and they got up. They ate in the living room while they watched TV. Katherine came home in the middle of their dinner; Dave’s father had let her go as soon as he could. She thanked Dave for staying with Eleni, and he left, sad that he couldn’t kiss his girlfriend goodnight and tell her he loved her._ _

__

__

“Shit,” Eresh murmured. “Both of them?” Dave shook himself. He had stopped his retelling at the point where he had gotten Eleni to safety, but his mind was still recalling the rest of that somber evening.

His stomach turned at the suggestion Eresh had voiced out loud. He and Eleni had never spoken of Zach and Shan’s intentions, though now that fact sat uncomfortably in his stomach. Like everyone else, he had just wanted it to go away. And it had: the incident had never come up at the school after. The students knew to keep quiet, and if any teachers had been aware of it, they had clearly turned a blind eye.

“OK. That is a bit wrong,” Sanida relented. Slightly. “But, Dave, you have to admit that Zach was a good option for her. Her fighting it, _your_ fighting, likely made that situation happen.”

Dave wondered at the mental acrobatics his friend, who he truly respected, had just performed. How could he work with these people who thought not only that Eleni had been getting what she was due, but that she had in fact gotten a bargain?

His eyes fell on Eresh, the only one with compassion on his face, and Dave found a soft strength from that emotion.

He accepted the answer he had already known: because he had to. He couldn’t pull this off without help, of that he was certain. He had to try to make them understand. Or, at least, get their minds to perform similar acrobatics so that they would agree to hold a rally. 

He doubled down.

“But that is not what she wanted. She just wanted to—” _to dance_. He didn’t say it it was too personal. He took a breath. “She told him no,” he finished instead, and focused on keeping himself calm.

“He wasn’t a bad guy,” Natal muttered again at the same time that Sanida said, “And we have your father to thank for letting her believe she had a choice.” 

Dave’s heart broke at Sanida’s comment, but he pressed on.

“It’s not so different from the mutants we are trying to save. Being killed for how they were born, that is not a fate they chose, its one that society imposed upon them. Being expected to have sex with someone regardless of what she wanted? Just because society made up some twisted rule in the past? That is not a fate Eleni _chose_.” Natal’s lips twisted and Dave thought he winced slightly as the mention of Eleni’s name.

Sanida refused to acknowledge the similarities

“Murdering babies is one thing. This is different, she would have had a good life, and it’s the way things work here, Dave.” Sanida pressed again. “Like this: we’re elite, right? We know it. We live a good life with access to many privileges, but there is also a social contract: we employ people, and take care of them so they can have simpler, but good lives, too. We set legislation that keeps this city functioning, healthy and _alive_. We _understand_ that and we play our part. In essence, how was her position any different from ours? She should have been brought up to understand that!” Sanida’s tone forcefully even.

“Oh, yeah, like the fact that they,” he gestured towards Natal and Eresh, “could get killed for being with each other, and no one would be punished. No one would question it. It wouldn’t even be news, and the bodies would disappear as if they never existed. We should just accept that?”

That silenced them for a minute.

“But we play by the rules,” Natal stuttered. “Sanida and I are going to get married. With your sister, she wasn’t playing her part, which wouldn’t have been that bad anyway. And you! You were suddenly her knight-in-shining armor when she didn’t need one!” 

“I’d want a knight-in-shining armor if I was in a situation like that,” Eresh said quietly. Natal shifted uncomfortably.

“Or how about a social system that accepts a basic tenant that no person, who is simply going about their daily lives and poses no threat to others, should be subject to violent assault or the threat of it, and laws that guarantee protection for _everyone_ and a means for justice, no matter how they live!” Dave countered the soft-spoken comment, gently but passionately. Eresh’s eyes snapped to his.

The longing that Dave saw hidden there was painful to watch, and for some reason, he was reminded of Eleni. That was strange, for he could only associate such longing with her desire to dance. 

It was then that he understood that she had internalized the restrictions their society had placed upon her to the extent that she herself hadn’t believed that she would ever get any more than what they were already giving her. Had she felt that she hadn’t even deserved more? Dave’s heart plummeted with the fact he didn’t know the answer to that question.

His state of mind was cut by Eresh’s next comment. Refocusing, he found the man’s eyes still on his.

“Be able to walk down the street as I truly am, freely and without a care, like everyone else? Dave, I didn’t know you were such a tease.” 

Dave gaped for a moment, then let the playful flirting soften him and ease the feelings inside of him, though he didn’t dismiss them. As he started to laugh, he wondered what Eresh had read in his eyes.

Sanida smirked and then cracked a smile and chuckled, though worry lingered in her eyes. Natal squirmed and finally moved closer to his boyfriend. Emboldened, Eresh moved his hand the bare few inches and placed it on Natal’s. A moment of hesitation, then Natal flipped his hand over, and they embraced in that small way.

Dave stared at all of them, his mind grappling back to where they had left off. 

“We have to question any instance where society is interfering with basic human rights of any group within our society,” he stated softly. 

“There are reasons things are the way they are,” Sanida dug in again.

“Think about this,” he said, turning to her. “Please, just think about it. Sanida, knowing your brother helped your mind bend to see that this rule about mutants is just a construct that legitimizes mass murder. My sister did the same for me, and she also made me understand that the city’s approach towards infidelity places the blame solely on the woman, strips those women of their rights, and essentially institutionalizes sexual assault. And that is not even touching on the forced sterilization!” Sanida winced at that. Good. He turned to Natal. “And is it so different for you and Eresh? Don’t tell me you don’t consider the consequences no matter what lie you live. What if we could make a world where you didn’t have to live in fear?”

Natal just stared at Dave, disbelief thick in his eyes.

“Why would you fight for people like me?”

“Why do I fight for mutants?”

“Because, out of all those groups, they are the only one who are truly victims of something they cannot control.” 

Dave rocked back in shock at what Natal had said. Did the man truly believe that? Natal himself looked slightly stunned; Dave suspected he was reviewing the words that had just come out of his own mouth. Conversations with Corella again flashed through Dave’s mind. 

“You know, Corella made a similar argument to me on several occasions when we were dating. While she agreed with the fates assigned to mutants, homosexuals, and sex workers, she was more sympathetic towards the first of those groups.” Now, Natal started to look ill. He glanced sideways at Eresh, who had looked away at Natal’s comment.

Dave saw an opening, even though it meant leaving behind the other legitimate issues they had brought up. He hoped that by focusing on this one issue, it would give his friends time to reevaluate their thoughts on the others.

He shifted his argument.

“That we can agree on: the institutionalized mass murder of mutants is wrong. And that is the injustice that we are fighting. Are you going to just sit back, take your time, and let this mass murder continue unchecked?”

Sanida closed her eyes. This conversation had touched her, too. Possibly weakened her resolve.

“You must see the urgency here,” he pressed on. “How many babies die each day, each week that we wait? I promise we’d be safe. Keep it so that people can stay anonymous. And, look, I’m realistic about this. We’d get maybe a dozen people, and we’d disperse quickly. But for them, us taking this topside would be a show of strength, a demonstration that our campaign is legitimate and that we have faith in it! It will help us gain more support. And that will help our cause.”

“I don’t know,” his fellow law-student murmured.

“I do,” he returned, decisively, “And we already have a date. The night of the meet and greet, let’s do a rally instead.”

“Yes,” Eresh hissed, and Dave saw Natal’s hand tighten on his.

“I’m in,” Natal said, though he looked like he couldn’t believe the words coming from his mouth.

Sanida gave a heavy sigh.

“Fine, we can plan it. But we don’t tell people until the day before.” Dave knew Sanida was throwing him a bone in hopes that it would never go any further. He had faith their momentum would take it forward.

He turned to Natal, who still looked discomfited. “Natal, can you get everything in place?” Dave held his breath, knowing that the man was key in those efforts.

The movement was mechanical, as if he had gone numb, but nonetheless, Natal nodded. Eresh looked at his boyfriend, and laced their fingers together. Natal looked back as if he was seeing the man for the first time.

Dave breathed out, and smiled. It was a victory.


	31. Chapter 30

**MATTHEW**

The afternoon after Hulio’s performance, Matthew was sitting in the auditorium with his arm around Eleni, who was inspecting a small pamphlet. Today was the last day people unrelated to the ballet could come watch rehearsals, and as such the audience was fairly large. It was currently ‘intermission’, and much of the cast was out in the seats as they were. Master Cotting had distributed drafts of the program, and cast members were perusing it for errors.

Matthew occasionally glared at the visitors: many were likely coming now because they didn’t plan to attend any of the formal performances. The calls for boycott were still strong, and ticket sales reflected the impetus. When people noticed his gaze, they responded with dismissive looks which he found didn’t bother him. They were going to miss an outstanding performance. It was their loss.

Other than this activity, he was simply enjoying the moment, not really caring about the program. He found his thoughts drifting back to the night before, and the wonderful normalness of it: going out with his girlfriend and having a good time. G’s trial and the various things that had plagued their relationship had taken a back burner, and there had been an ease between himself and Eleni that had recently proven elusive. After the concert, they had parted at Madam P’s doorstep after a few kisses, and Matthew felt it had been the perfect end to the night. He was looking forward to their upcoming night out at the Hellfire Club.

“_Matthew Scott Summers_,” Eleni read out loud, pulling her boyfriend from his thoughts, “It goes well together.” Matthew grunted.

“The middle name is a family name.” He looked at her, eyes narrowed. “If I say Scott Summers now, do you recognize the name?” Laughing, Eleni nodded.

“Yeah. I don’t know the details, but I know he was famous.” Matthew smiled, but said no more knowing that Eleni had no interest in the details.

“How about Alex Summers?” Her eyes went innocently wide. “Come on, you’re dating a Summers. It’s going to look bad if you don’t know our famous forefathers,” he teased, nudging her gently with his elbow.

“But you don’t have ‘Alex’ as a middle name,” she pointed out.

“Yeah, Jae got that one.” He looked at Eleni, scrunching his forehead at a distant memory. “You don’t have a middle name, right?” She paused.

“Not exactly,” she responded. “My mom didn’t give me one.”

“But…?” he pressed, sensing there was something more. She shrugged.

“I liked the idea of a middle name. So, I used to play around with ones that might sound good.” Matthew made to inquire as to whether she ever found one she liked, but she nudged his side and sat up. Looking where she had indicated, he saw four people approaching.

“Matthew! You look great up there!” A smile beamed out from a furry face. He returned Doreel’s gesture as he stood and thanked her. 

“I don’t think you’ve met Eleni,” he added, gesturing to his girlfriend. Doreel’s smile became a bit stiff.

“We’ve seen each other at school.” She turned her frozen face to Eleni for a moment, then pulled their attention to her companions. “Matthew, I don’t think you’ve met my father. Sean Cassidy.”

“Well met, Mr. Summers,” the burly man with brown skin and light-colored, curly hair responded. 

“Well met, Mr. Cassidy.” Matthew knew the man was in the military, but had no idea of his position or rank. He held himself stiff.

“And this is a friend of the family’s, who is particularly taken with art in all forms.”

A scaled hand was extended towards Matthew.

“Professor Ronald Pryde,” the man introduced himself. Matthew grasped the hand, introducing himself in turn. He again gestured to his girlfriend, who still sat beside where he stood.

“And this is Eleni Jones, who is also starring in the ballet.”

“Of course, of course,” Sean Cassidy said, with an estimate of a smile on his lips. He didn’t introduce the fourth member of their party.

Professor Pryde proceeded to speak a long phrase in a guttural tongue, and then, from what Matthew could discern, repeat it. The man looked to Eleni expectantly, and after a pause, he repeated the phrase again. Matthew froze in shock as horror and panic shot down the bond from Eleni. She remained silent.

The professor glanced at Sean Cassidy, who had begun to smile for real, then shook his head in knowing regret.

“It is rare to get a talent where the person picks up the language immediately,” the scaled man said in a dismissive tone that put complete doubt on Eleni’s ability. Matthew was starting to feel ill. 

“Ah well, Irish is a truly rare language,” Sean Cassidy spoke condescendingly. His manner was smug. Matthew wanted to object at their deception, but found himself frozen. 

“Well, good luck with the ballet, Mattie!” Doreel chirped. The two men echoed her sentiment, and turned away looking eminently satisfied with themselves.

“The nerve of that man. Testing me out of the blue like that.” 

Matthew agreed with Eleni’s irritated comment; it had been a ploy to test her ability, and the fourth person had likely been someone from the media. However, Matthew found himself dwelling on the fact that she hadn’t been able to respond to the language. And the pure terror she had felt. 

“How long is it going to be before this gets around?” she asked. Anxiety sparkled down the bond, though outwardly the only sign of her distress was a deep and steady breathing.

“Probably tomorrow by word of mouth. 2 days for the daily editorials. The tabloids will take a week,” Matthew answered distantly. He turned to her. “You always understood in the past. What was different?”

“Did you hear him? It sounded like he was clearing his throat! That is no language!” she was defiant and decided in her response. He felt a lie. “Sit back down.”

He sat beside her, but couldn’t let go of what had just occurred. Of what he now knew. Her occasional glances at him told him she felt his emotional state.

“You didn’t understand that language at all,” he finally said. She didn’t answer, but he felt a spike of fear through the bond. Why was this incident frightening her so much?

“You can’t really pick up languages, can you?” She stared ahead, her emotions going flat, and again didn’t answer. He didn’t need her to answer to know it was true.

She stood up. 

“I know it’s something you can’t accept. I’ll go,” she pushed past him, out into the aisle.

“What? N-no! I-I-I…I…I don’t know,” he stuttered on his response and hated himself for it. He tried to focus on her emotions, but she was imposing her iron curtain with a vengeance. His own mixed emotions further obscured the situation.

“It’s for the best, Mattie.” Piercing sadness and a sense of resolve flickered at the end of the bond, but quickly disappeared. “It was nice while it lasted. And the ballet will be over in a week and a half.” She couldn’t hide a bitter cast to her words, and towards the end they jumped as she started to cry. She walked away. He stood, but found his feet didn’t follow.

He wasn’t sure how he got through the rest of the rehearsal. Eleni was like a solid wall in front of him when she danced, and their performance suffered. 

“You are the one who insisted on this,” Master Trenaw snapped at Madam P when she called close after the final scene. The man, empowered by Tracy’s display and the boycott, had become increasingly rude, even cruel, to the older woman. Matthew clenched his teeth, but Madam P simply held her head high.

“Everyone, tomorrow is our first dress rehearsal. You did well today. Get a good rest tonight, I want you at your best tomorrow.” At the last, her eyes rested on Matthew and Eleni, and guilt tore through Matthew. Even if he could get to bed early tonight, he was certain it wouldn’t make a difference on the performance.

His father was glad to see him approach to leave together.

“It’s a good idea, Mattie. You need as much rest as you can get this week.” Matthew nodded, silently, and didn’t speak until they were home. Then he told his father what had happened.

The man had been pulling sandwich ingredients out for an easy dinner on their busy schedules, and he slowed, then stopped in his task as he heard the story. Dinner forgotten, he made his way to the table, and sank down into the chair.

“They’re going to gut Natalya even more,” he said, dismally. “Did the man say enough for her to understand? Mutant linguists can’t understand a language without hearing it!”

“He repeated whatever he said three times. Eleni couldn’t respond. She didn’t understand, Dad. I know she didn’t.” Matthew had gone to collect the forgotten food, and now sat and started assembling small stacks onto two plates. 

“So…you two broke up again? Is that why your performance was off?” Matthew nodded, then let the information sink in for a minute as they ate in silence.

“Dad?” he finally said.

“Hmm?” Matthew found he couldn’t meet the man’s eyes as he continued.

“You wanted to break up Katyana and the Head, right?”

“Mattie, why are you bringing this up now?”

“Just answer. You did, right?” he demanded.

“Yeah. Why I thought she would come back to me after what I did, I can’t fathom. I think, I thought she wouldn’t realize she had been drugged…but then the secret would have been on me.” The man’s head fell into his hands, and Matthew sensed he was unloading something he had spent a lot of time thinking about, probably due to recent events. “Anyone who can have a secret like that sitting in the middle of a relationship that is central to their life…something is wrong with them.” 

Matthew hadn’t wanted to interrupt his father’s monologue, but now he dismissed it. It was not the time to dwell on the man’s emotional discoveries, and he was missing the point. 

“So, you thought you could have been with her? With her not being a mutant?”

His father gaped at him as understanding hit him. His look turned slightly condescending.

“Mattie, you can’t compare us with you and Eleni. Kat and I were together for years, just like you and Jenna—” That was not helpful in the least.

“Do you think you could have been with a non-mutant?” Matthew insisted. He needed to know, because he was trying to figure out the same in himself. And he hated the fact that the answer was so hard to reach when he loved Eleni so much it hurt. 

Adam’s face fell.

“I suppose I never really thought about it. It all happened so quickly at the end. But…I think I could have.”

“Really? With all the pressure here? And…I mean, we are mutants. There’s something different about us. Not to mention being a Summers.” Adam nodded slowly.

“Those months apart from her, then seeing her with someone else, they were torture. I’ve never known anyone else like her.” He sounded wistful, but it was laced with pain. His eyes were distant. “I don’t know, Mattie. I’d like to think I could have…”

“But your parents were big in the circles, probably involved in some of the secret societies or something,” Matthew pushed, invoking whispered information he had heard over the years. “They would never had accepted it! Didn’t that cross your mind?”

Adam didn’t meet his eyes, and for a long minute he didn’t respond.

“You’re right. It doesn’t make sense. It never did, but I went along with it,” he muttered. Then he looked at his son. “Mattie, they used me. They are the ones who provided the drug.”

Matthew scrunched his forehead in confusion at this new information. His father’s responses were only uncovering the bizarre, and doing nothing to help him reach some sort of insight into his current situation.

“Whatever,” he snapped, and grabbing his plate, stood. This conversation was useless. “I’m eating upstairs.”

Life became a cruel joke over the next two days. They moved into dress rehearsals at the dance school, with the situation between himself and Eleni frozen into a twisted stalemate. Their performance was technically accurate, but stilted and distant to the point that it almost seemed out of synch, as Eleni maintained a wall between Matthew and her emotions, and Matthew continued to be indecisive.

The story of Eleni being confirmed a _sans_ broke, and the movement to boycott the performance swelled. Ticket sales basically stopped. They had sold only a quarter of the seats in the grand theater for the opening performance, and less for the following two nights.

Madam P held her head high, but her disappointment was evident. It was clear she knew he and Eleni had broken up over Eleni’s not being a mutant, though she said nothing to Matthew. Her support of her star ballerina, however, was unflagging. That made things worse for Matthew, as he wanted nothing more to sit close with Eleni in the auditorium or on the couch, and put this all behind them. Guilt wound its insidious way into the unpleasant feelings that had taken up residence in his mid-section. 

Publicly, however, he was treated better than Madam P, once people saw he and Eleni were no longer together. Marginally better, with muttered comments of _'Thank the Helm you came to your senses'_, and the like. There were even a few party invites. He couldn’t have cared less.

Matthew longed for someone he could talk to, but G wouldn’t come up until Hulio’s performance at the Hellfire Club, which was still a few days away. There were no new updates on the case, apart from Bright being added, so that provided no excuse to get G to come UpMountain. With friends unavailable, and Adam’s counsel established as useless, Matthew struggled on his own to work his way through this miserable situation.

The only thing he knew was that he was increasingly missing Eleni. 

He started to reach out to her, and caught her during a break the next day.

“Matthew, I don’t want to talk to you,” came her terse comment when he stopped her. His heart broke and she winced.

“Elle, look, this whole situation sucks, and it’s messing with my mind. That doesn’t mean I want us to end. Please, don’t shut me out. I need some time to get my head around this. I just need some time! Elle, wait!” But she walked away from him again.

Just when it seemed like things couldn’t get worse, the next morning, a new story broke in the papers.

** _James Jones Rumored to have Facilitated Abortions_ **

Matthew sat at his dining room table and stared at the headline. A headline that could destroy his friend, and one he knew to be true. 

“They are reaching for anything they can get,” came Adam’s comment when he saw what Matthew was reading. The younger man just shook his head dumbly. When his voice started working again, it was to take action.

“Dad, we need to talk to Greystone. Now.”

An hour later, they were sitting down with the man in his home office at his grand residence. Matthew wasted no time.

“Greystone, I know these allegations to be true.” Greystone took a deep breath in, and horror dawned on Adam’s face. Matthew related what he has witnessed the morning at the towers, nearly 9 months ago.

“Matthew, you should have told me.” Matthew just shook his head at his father’s admonishment. 

“You should have taken her to a hospital, son. Had that story documented.” That comment came from Greystone, and was similarly pointless in the present. And in the past.

“They wouldn’t have listened,” he told them. Adam shook his head in dismay, but there was a stillness in Greystone’s face that told Matthew the man knew that what Matthew said was true. Nonetheless, the lawyer’s reply was hedged.

“Still, it would have kept things legal…” Legal, with laws that really only applied to those who lived UpMountain. With no real hope, he reached for that set of rules.

“But, it’s just a fine, right? We can pay that.” Greyston was shaking his head, but Matthew didn’t even feel disappointment.

“A fine for a doctor who performs an abortion, and that’s only for the first offense. But if someone is found to be promoting abortion, then it is jail time. Which can be commuted into military service.”

“What? But…I’ve never heard that,” Adam objected, and Matthew found his father’s indignation bitterly amusing.

“It’s the law. People know better than to promote having an abortion in any way.”

“But Jenna once mentioned to me that she could get one,” Matthew said, quietly.

“She wasn’t encouraging someone else to have one. And, that’s different…” Of course, it was.

“But how did she know?” Matthew pointed out. Greystone returned his gaze evenly, and stayed silent.

“Greystone,” Adam tried again, “the way Mattie described it, the woman was distraught. She had been terribly hurt! We must be able to use that! Can we have her speak?” Adam reiterated this information with purpose, but Matthew was already past it. 

He knew the woman’s pain was dismissible in the eyes of the UpMountain. His father’s indignation only underscored how next to no one in the UpMountain understood the lack of real choices for those living DownMountain and the stress that that situation caused. Adam’s nascent grasp of the injustice of it all was vast compared to the knowledge of their well-off peers. 

Further, those peers didn’t care to know. They probably wouldn’t even acknowledge the inherent lack of equity and opportunity in the DownMountain even if it was right in front of them, and not separated by miles of rock. They would talk around it, as Matthew remembered himself doing during his early days at the Towers. 

And it was those peers who would determine that young woman’s fate should she speak up.

“She went ahead with the program,” Matthew heard himself mumble, distantly. “We saw her in the DownMountain a few weeks back.” Adam’s face closed slightly, and Matthew’s heart fell slightly.

“Maybe she was already pregnant…” the man tried.

Greystone sighed heavily.

“Her story is unlikely to help, but can you put me in touch with her, Matthew?” the man asked.

Matthew shook his head. “I don’t know her, and only saw her those two times. I’ll ask G.” Greystone nodded.

“I’ll put my team on this, and we’ll see what we can do,” the lawyer replied in an uninspiring tone. Then something occurred to Matthew.

“Wait. Is G in any danger?” Matthew asked, urgently. The lawyer shook his head.

“Publicly, these are just allegations at this point, meaning it’s based on rumors. They don’t have any witnesses or evidence. Should they find proof of some sort, then that is another matter. For now, James can go about his life as usual.” 

Matthew took a breath as he considered those words. Then he moved on to his next thought.

“Is there any word about the military’s proposal? About me?”

Greyston shook his head. 

“Not yet. I’ll let you know as soon as I find out.” Matthew nodded, and kept on.

“They’re the ones digging up this dirt on G, aren’t they?” 

“We don’t know that for sure, son.” Matthew clasped his hands in front of him face. He had no doubts. Before he could voice his next question, Adam placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Mattie, you’re getting worked up. Let’s leave this for now. We’ve got an eye on the news, and will know immediately if anything happens,” Adam said “Let’s go to the dance studio to take our minds off of this. We have a lot on us until the performances are over.” Greystone was nodding in agreement.

“We will contact you if we receive any new information.” Seeing the wisdom of their words, Matthew swallowed his question, and he and Adam left.

As the men made their way to the studio, he found his sense of reality fractured. The world around him seemed a flimsy thing; all the comforts he had known were wretched constructs, and ones that were consistently prized over the lives of their fellow humans, and the UpMountain would balk at any change to the status quo.

He realized just how much would have to change to approach a society that he could call fair and just. The worst part was that he had always know this on some level, but he had managed to push the implications away. And now his friends were suffering for it. Matthew despaired.

In a sudden impulse, he wanted nothing more than to reach out and change all the minds that accepted this status quo. He would make them break through the miles of rock to their brethren in the DownMountain. He would make them see the joy in lifting up their fellow humans, and creating a world where all could expect a decent life.

He didn’t, and the feeling faded to despondency. Walking the way from the Greystone residence through the ornate tunnels to the Top of the Mountain, Matthew looked around and was reminded of the description Eleni had once used. _Pretty caves._

And that is all any of it was. 

Matthew stopped where he was, emotionally crashing down, and knew he would never see the place where he had grown up the same way again. It felt different, though everything around him was as it had always been. Nothing had really changed.

Nothing…except for him.

“Mattie?”

Matthew started running.

“Mattie!” his father called.

“I’ll meet you there!” he yelled back.

Eleni was on the auditorium stage, practicing, and the audience was blessedly empty. 

“Elle, Elle!” She came out of a turn, startled, and immediately started to move to the side of the stage when she realized who was calling her. She was trying to get away from him, and if she got to the house she would succeed. He wished he hadn’t let the past days go by like this. Why hadn’t he seen what was now so clear? 

He ran after her. She moved as fast as she could in her toe shoes down the hall to Madam P’s, but he caught up with her at the doorway, and managed to block it with his arm just as she was closing it. He hoped Madam P wasn’t nearby, for this scene would certainly draw her attention. 

He pushed the door open, but didn’t enter.

“Elle, I need to talk to you. It’s about G.” 

“I saw the paper. How bad is it?” She backed away slightly, allowing him to enter the kitchen.

“Bad. Really bad. It’s jail time…that can be commuted into a military obligation.” Eleni brought her hands up to her head.

“Oh, no. Oh G!” She looked up. “You should bring him UpMountain again. Make sure he is safe!” Matthew nodded, wishing he had thought of that. 

“I’ll message my dad. G’s not going to like it.” She nodded.

“Thanks for telling me. Sorry for running like that. I thought…I was wrong.”

“You weren’t.” Eleni stiffened, but Matthew had the chance he had wanted and he wouldn’t waste it. “Elle, it doesn’t matter. It should never have mattered. I’m embarrassed that I had to think about it, but I did. Everything had to fall apart for me to see what was really important, and that is G. That is you.” Eleni shook her head, denying his words.

“Matthew, I make your life harder. And it’s not worth it for you. You have too much to lose. It’s better if we just stay apart. Maybe it will take some pressure off of you; maybe they will stop targeting your family and friends.”

Matthew felt whispers of dismay and anxiety edge his mental state, and determinedly pushed them back.

“Elle, yes I have to face those realities, but they are not reasons we can’t be together. Not for me. We’ll deal with that shit. It’s taken me so long to know you, and I still want to know you more!”

“Do you? Because I can feel your hesitation, Matthew. When we are alone. You can’t accept me as things stand, and I don’t want to live wondering if you hold your nose to be with me!” Matthew tossed back his head in frustration. He didn’t understand that either, so how could he explain it to Eleni.

“Elle, you’re right. There is something going on there, but it’s not because you’re not a mutant or that you are not UpMountain. I don’t care about that! And I don’t know what’s wrong with me, and I was hoping after the ballet I would be able to get over it.” Eleni was shaking her head.

“Matthew, or maybe it’s a sign this just isn’t right, and deep down you know that.”

“No. No! That’s not true. It is right. Elle, I don’t want to walk away from this. We’ve only just begun.” As he said the words, he knew they were true. Everything up to this point had been a prelude to…to what? He wanted to know. He looked at Eleni. “I want to know what we can be together. I think it’s something that most people only ever dream of having,” he stated simply, feeling the words in the core of his being. 

Eleni’s mouth fell open, and she had no response. Matthew pushed his advantage.

“I don’t care that everyone thinks you are from the DownMountain from the Sewers. I don’t care that you are not a mutant. I only know that you are special to me - important to me! - and I don’t want to lose that. I want to more of it.” He slowly started to approach. 

She, again, shook her head back and forth, slowly this time, but what she was denying he didn’t know. Her emotions, which she was failing to cloak, were a violent mess, and the only one he could identify clearly was horror. He did his best to ignore that and pushed on. He refused to let her deny them.

Eleni changed her tactic.

“They’ll never accept it. Us together. You’re bringing hell down on yourself! You’ll get hurt. Matthew, being with me will only hurt you!” He shook that fact away.

“We’ll find a place for ourselves. Maybe DownMountain. We can work on making things better down there. And we can be together away from all this…” he gestured dismissively towards the outside. Her eyes shone, and scrunched in what he chose to read as pained longing, and she was shaking her head again.

“I don’t want to hurt you. Being with me will hurt you,” she repeated. The argument was spoken in a bare whisper, like a last desperate attempt to dissuade him. He took heart in that. 

“There’s risk in all relationships. That won’t stop me from wanting to be with you.”

He moved closer to her. She had backed up to the counter at this point, and every slow step brought him closer to her.

She continued to shake her head. Tears were now dripping down her face. In spite of his words, she hid behind her hands and sank down to the floor.

“My life is a lie. I can’t make you live that.”

Heartbroken, he continued to approach. The lie was known now, she must see that.

“Elle, please. Don’t push me away. I love you. I know it won’t be easy, but I’d rather that than not have you in my life.” He sat beside her and put his arms around her, but she made no response in return.

“Elle,” he whispered, not knowing what else to say. Despair threatened. “Eleni, what do you want?”

She gasped out a sob.

“I want to live.” He tried to make sense of her words.

“We can make a life together.” She leaned into him, and rubbed her head against his chest but he couldn’t tell if she was denying his assertion. Wrapping her arms around his neck, her hands cherishing his skin where they touched, and she looked at him.

“Matthew, make me feel alive,” she whispered. Sharp relief gutted him as he lowered his lips to hers. This time when they went upstairs, he had no hesitations.

“How did you do it?” Eleni asked. Matthew gazed at her trying to understand her question. They lay in her bed, arms and legs entwined under the covers. Soon, they would have to go down to rehearsal.

“Do what?” he inquired in response, running his hand down her bare torso to her hip. Her scarf was still on, and he couldn’t run his hand over her scalp.

“You got past my every defense.” Her eyes studied his face intently, as if she would find the answer to her question there. He chuckled.

“I do have a reputation, you know,” he whispered back. She smiled and gave a small laugh in return. Her fingers came up and started tracing his face. 

“I thought he’d be the only one. He was there from the start. He had it easy. But you,” she gazed at him, bemused. “Somehow, you…” Her voice dropped of leaving her half-spoken realization hanging in silence. The silence lengthened. 

“I love you.” Her tone was a mixture of wonder and dismay. Matthew’s heart jumped in spite of that. 

“That’s a good thing,” he assured her confidently. She just hummed in return, and kissed him. “Something is different about you,” he said, when she pulled back.

“I’ve given up. I’ve given in,” she replied. He smiled, perplexed, because he could sense the lie in what she said.

“But you haven’t.” No, he could feel her commitment, iron underneath it all. “I love you, too.”

Her fingers moved to his jaw, then his neck. She leaned forward and followed the touch with kisses. As he lay there and let himself be claimed, he interpreted her words for himself.

He had broken through her shell, and found behind it a fathomless lake, swirling with secret eddies, and somewhere within its depths, was Eleni. Intuitively he understood that to survive in the world she had known, her sense of self had been crystalized under the pressure, and then hidden deep within. 

Matthew stood at the shore searching for that shining heart. Without question, he stepped in. 

Pulling her up so that their lips met, he held her tightly. Let them sink to the depths, so long as it was together.

**ELENI**

Eleni peered around the dimly lit room that pulsed with music and raw energy. The Hellfire Club was all it had promised to be: opulent, rich and indulgent. In spite of its size, which easily rivaled the auditorium at the dance school, the dim lighting and the color-scheme of deep-red with black accents made it intimate, and almost spooky. Three tiers of seating set in widening horseshoes around the dance floor boasted tables, semi-private booth seats. As people vacated them, tables were immediately cleared and reset with clean linens and embellishments, and even in the dark and knowing its age, the establishment radiated a stiff newness. 

The atmosphere was seductive. To be part of the anointed group here whispered riches and rewards. At the walls marking the ends of the semi-ring of tables were dark, shiny windows that suggested private rooms, and she had noticed people, dressed in their finery, disappearing through doors at the back of the club. They all had the haughty air of knowing secrets and being special. Eleni, however, found she had no desire to know what went one behind those doors. 

“Are you sure you are not hungry?” Matthew’s question broke Eleni out of her observations. The waiters who diligently served and cleared other tables hadn’t visited theirs, so Matthew had gone up to a bar at the back to get the drinks that sat in front of them. She shook her head in the negative. They had grabbed some food on their way to the club, anticipating poor service.

Matthew settled back in to listening, and Eleni’s eyes turned back to the thing right in front of them: the dance floor. She, Matthew and G had picked a table on the lowest loop of the horseshoe, just a few steps above and away from it. It was packed, even though it was only Thursday. The bodies were shadows dyed red and blue by the dim lighting, but they also sparkled: small pinpoints of white light were constantly passing over them, like tiny windows into reality. Those were created by light high above, refracted carefully through hundreds of crystals that were rotating above the dance floor; extravagance and excitement strung onto an intricate frame.  
Eleni found that the dancing wasn’t as disquieting to see as it had been the first time, when seeing the people dance so brazenly and so closely had made her feel uncomfortable. Now, while part of her wanted to withdraw back to the safety of waltzing, another part of her was fascinated. 

“What do you say?” Matthew said, tipping his head towards the shadowed forms moving in time to the rhythm in front of them. He was dressed in a deceivingly simple dark blue shirt, almost linen like in weave. It was well fitted to his broad shoulders and fit physique, and few others would look as fine as he did in it. The snug pants he wore were similarly understated.

“I don’t know…” she responded. They had practiced, but that had been in private. Even with the lights of the Hellfire Club down low, Eleni felt exposed.

“Come on.” His voice was velvet with undertones he normally reserved for when they were alone. “I know you want to. You know you want to.” The last he whispered in her ear as he bent his head to kiss the place where her jaw joined her neck. Eleni thrilled but still clung to reality.

“So, this is Matthew the playboy I’ve heard so much about.” 

Pulling back, he cracked a lopsided grin. Some of the Matthew she had grown familiar with peeked out.

“Yeah, well, this is the type of stuff I did before…before I stopped.” He shrugged. “What can I say? It’s fun.”

“I wish G would come back,” she said, dodging the subject. The man in question was standing close to Travis Lensherr a short distance away, apparently in some form of deep discussion. One that contained a lot of quick glances and ducked heads. Travis kept glancing out at the dance floor, and Eleni suspected the young man felt the same pull that she did, though no doubt his hesitations were rooted in far different soil. 

In spite of the allegations against G, Travis had come over and immediately struck up a conversation soon after they had arrived. That had greatly improved G’s mood, and the large man hadn’t resisted when Travis had pulled him away from their table on the pretext of showing him something. They had had their heads bent together ever since, impervious to the acid looks that were thrown their way.

Matthew followed her gaze. He took a deep breath in.

“What?” she asked. He shook his head. “It’s going to end badly, right?” she filled i, sardonically, but knowing it was the truth.

“It’s not that.” His voice drifted off. “They look good together, don’t they?”

Eleni took in this comment and the man who had made it. She felt a pang of sadness for him and the world he now knew.

“They do.” 

He turned his head back to her, resting his forehead on hers. 

“G just needs a fairy godmother,” he tried to joke. Eleni smiled, but it was weak.

“I wish he would stay with you.” The man had refused Matthew’s invitation to stay at the Summers’ residence again. Eleni understood his pride and the need to keep going, head held high, but she worried for his safety. Matthew hummed his agreement as he pulled her close again.

Eleni closed her eyes and let the sounds of Hulio’s songs fill her to try and forget reality for a moment. As he was opening for another show, this performance wouldn’t go late, but that was best for them with the ballet so close. They planned to leave after his piece was done.

The man was truly talented, and Eleni felt herself lifted away from the wrongness around them. As the song closed and another begin, fast paced and urgent this time, she opened her eyes and found herself watching the dancers again. What they were doing would be so scandalous in the Citadel. And yet…she was tempted. The sudden thought that this would be her only chance decided her.

“Come on.” Matthew’s eyes lit with surprise and delight as she stood. Hand in hand they entered the dance floor.

Bodies reluctantly turned to let them in, checking them out as they passed. Several girls and a couple guys took advantage of Matthew’s proximity to move against him as he cut through the crowd. No one made for Eleni, but she felt eyes raking her form and wasn’t sure how she felt about it. 

The outfit Madam P had surprised her was more revealing than she was used to.

_“I hope you don’t mind. I used to do this for my daughter…”_

Eleni had felt a rush of gratitude and sympathy, when the woman had presented her with the package, which had persuaded her to don the outfit. It was one she would have eyed at a store but not had the courage to buy. There was a blue-green metallic top that hung loose to her waist, baring her mid-drift as she walked. Crystals were woven into the matching scarf that adorned her head. The finally piece, a pair of skin-tight dark leggings, left nothing to the imagination. Walking into the club, she had felt exposed. She still did, though it was now dulled by the excitement bubbling in her stomach.

Yes, she was exposed and completely scandalous, and it was thrilling.

Matthew stopped and, turning to her, pulled her in as he started to move to the beat. She shifted her body in response, barely moving. Self-consciousness still clinging, her eyes roamed the floor around them, and found many gazes on her. Some disgusted, some accusing, some challenging, some dismissing. None pleased, none exonerating, none encouraging, none accepting. She did what her mother had taught her to do in the face of inexorable criticism. To hell with you all, she thought vehemently. And then, because it was her moment, she danced.

The music echoed through the room and the beat pounded, steady and demanding through the dance floor. The people disappeared save for Matthew, and as she moved with him, glad they had found their way back together, she let go. 

It was surreal. It was normal. This is what people did. It was wonderful. 

She closed her eyes, and imagined for a moment that it was Dave she was dancing with. Grey eyes above a devilish grin. The angles of his jaw brushing the collar of his best suit complete with silver buttons. The same silver flashing against her form. In her memory, she moved with him again, dancing their last dance. The sweet agony of it nearly melted her.

She opened her eyes to dispel the memory, and found she couldn’t look at Matthew’s face for a moment. The memory forbade it. It had been the last time she had seen Dave, a single afternoon within which she had experienced the highest of highs, quickly followed by utter devastation as reality had finally come calling.

When she finally did look at Matthew, it was to assure herself that they wouldn’t end like that. It would be quiet, and she would be in complete control. Yes, there would be pain, again, but she was ready for it.

Looking at her lover, she felt a stab of guilt. He wouldn’t be, and there was no way to prepare him. Gazing at him, her chest went tight, and she slowed in her dancing. He pulled her close.

“Is everything ok?” he asked, concerned, and his words snapped her out of her downward spiral. Because everything was ok. For this moment, it was. And that was all she ever got.

“Yes,” she hissed, and she pulled him down for a kiss. Then she gave all she could, and vowed that this night, however brief, would be theirs. She pushed reality away, and as she had done so many times before, and she gave herself to this person, the second in her life, who against all odds had given her joy. 

Matthew relaxed again, then seemed to pick up on her mood, and the malaise that hung over him dissipated. Worries of G, the ballet and everything else melted away, and they danced into their own euphoria.

That heady atmosphere built and receded between them throughout the remainder of the evening. G picked up on it as they left together, and looked relieved when they parted at the train station. Eleni barely noticed, and didn’t bother containing her satisfaction when Matthew came home and upstairs with her. Sometime later the pressure found glorious release. 

Matthew’s slowing breaths as he lay next to her mirrored her own. She laughed, low and delicious.

“The world can end now.” 

Matthew made a sound of objection low in his throat.

“No way. Not if there’s another chance to do that.” 

She didn’t reply, but turned into his chest as he arms came around her, and that was how they fell asleep.


	32. Chapter 31

**CITADEL 3021.04.14**

**DAVE**

For the first time in nearly a year, Dave entered the building where his father lived. While for the majority of his life, it was the place he had called ‘home’, it now seemed alien. The dark grey marble of the foyer struck him as imposing, not welcoming, and the room felt suffused with cold. Dave wondered if it had been a mistake to come.

Rasputin, the massive guardsman who had worked the security detail for as long as Dave could remember, sat at the desk.

“Dave!” The man greeted him with a smile. “It’s good to see you back.”

“How have you been, Rasputin?” Dave said, happy to find that somethings hadn’t changed.

“Same old, same old.” The man’s face settled into seriousness. “You’ve grown up.”

“A bit,” Dave said, looking to the side. When he looked back, the man had gone solemn.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” The kindness, combine with the fact that the man remembered what had happened a year ago nearly undid Dave. He was also, Dave realized, the first person other than his father to offer any sort of condolence. The tears pressed his eyes, but he didn’t let them show.

“Thank you, Rasputin. I should head up. My dad’s waiting for me.”

“Go right on in.” Dave made his way to the elevator.

Once inside, he let the backpack his had brought with him down from his shoulder, and reviewed his plan for this meeting. The main objective was to determine exactly what his father knew. The chance that the man was oblivious to Dave’s activities with the Network was miniscule, but given how he and Sanida had run things there were many different levels of knowledge Robert Kelly could have. Dave had decided he would only cancel the rally if the man had somehow gotten wind of those specific plans, which was unlikely: they wouldn’t start spreading word of the event until tomorrow.

Sanida was unaware of Dave’s errand today. He had felt there was no reason to concern her until he understood what his father knew. Further, he had never mentioned his father’s connection to the Network, and was himself still unclear on the particulars. It was a small gesture, but protecting his father’s secret countered the guilt Dave now felt at how he had treated the man this past year. As he disembarked the elevator, he made a resolution to do better going forward. 

Unconsciously, he ran his thumb over the ring on his right hand.

Coming to the door, he entered the penthouse slowly, with the intention of easing himself into the memories he knew he would find here. Sure enough, when his eyes came to rest on the couch in front of the large video screen on the far-right wall, he remembered that he had pushed it to the side so they would be able to dance and he had chosen the music carefully. He shook the memories away, and glanced at his watch. 

Taking a deep breath, he advanced into the penthouse, past the entrance to the generous kitchen complete with island, then turning left into the adjoining dining room, found at the center of the apartment. The open-layout room was delineated by the kitchen walls on one side, but the other sides were open save for abbreviated walls found at the corners. The hallways that passed by the room, as well as the living room where Dave stood, were all clearly visible from the dining table.

His father was sitting at that table, two cups of coffee steaming in front of him. 

“Thank you for coming, Dave.” The man pushed one of the mugs towards his son. The man was clearly tense.

Glancing towards the mug, Dave instead saw empty wine glasses, plates that had recently held food, lit candles and a vase of flowers. His nose registered the smell of chocolate.

Again, pushing the memories to the side, he placed his bag on an adjacent chair and sat. 

They exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes; mundane questions as to Dave’s schoolwork, and Robert’s latest legislative efforts. Then, Robert Kelly took a deep breath.

“Dave, I’ve heard something.” Dave took care to look as if he had no idea what the man was about to say. “I’ve heard that you have been in contact with the Network.” 

“I have. I’ve met several families,” he understated in reply. “It’s been…cathartic.”

“I understand that, but I’ve also heard that you might be suggesting things to these people. That mutants might someday be accepted in our society.” Now it was Dave who took a measured breath in, as he adjusted his position. “Dave, the Citadel is nowhere near ready for such a thing. And even suggesting it is dangerous.”

“Maybe the city is ready,” he countered. “The Network is quite large, I’ve discovered.”

“It is still a minority within our population, and what you are proposing would be seen as a threat by everyone else. I can’t let you encourage this idea.”

“A few suggestions is hardly a threat.”

“But many will feel it as such. Do you want to give the military an opening to take over again? You have grown up in relative freedom. You don’t know what it was like before.”

“And you do?” 

“No entirely, no, but I saw this city move away from that past as security set in. And I’ve spoken with Harriet Kline about her childhood many times. She remembers the fear, the terror mutants instilled in people.” 

Dave shook his head.

“Dad, you’re just propagating stereotypes. Eleni was none of that.”

“Eleni’s powers were passive.” Dave paused.

“And if they hadn’t been?”

“Then…I supposed it would have depended upon her. But, Dave, that is not what we are talking about. I need a promise from you that you will cease making these suggestions. Stop giving people hope where there is none, for their safety and for your own. If you are found out, it will destroy you. Help me behind the scenes, like I said before. Then when I retire, and you enter politics, you can continue my work. We can build something that will last, Dave.”

To his surprise, Dave found his interest piqued. His father’s suggestion was appealing on some level: working together, quietly and secretly, to help people. But he also recognized it for what it would be: helping a handful of individuals, chosen at random from many more, in a manner that was in truth piecemeal. Why couldn’t they change the laws that put those people in that wretched position and make substantial and lasting change?

“I don’t know, Dad,” was all he said outwardly, again glancing at his watch. His father misunderstood the gesture.

“Dave, you are not leaving until we work through this, and you agree to stop this dangerous behavior!”

That wasn’t going to happen. Dave sought to buy himself some time.

“What exactly do you do, Dad? How are you helping people in the Network? And…mutants in the city?” 

Robert Kelly paused and evaluated his son.

“I’m not willing to share any of that with you until I am certain you have stopped suggesting that mutant amnesty is a possibility. Then I will start bringing you in on my activities.”

Dave pondered his father’s vaguely mafia-like threat. A chime sounded, indicated that someone had been let by the security desk and was coming up. Excellent, she was early.

“Did you know mom is thinking of running for senate? For Anwat’s seat?” Dave said.

Robert blinked at the non-sequitur.

“I didn’t. I wish she had told me.”

“Looks like I beat her to it.”

Robert eyed his son.

“Dave, you didn’t.”

“She’s on her way up. She also might bring up some of my tarnished morals, seeing how you let me spend time so much time with Eleni.” Dave’s anger may have been gone, and he felt some slight guilt at the encounter his father was about to have with his mother. Nonetheless, the opportunity had been too obvious to resist.

“David Anthony Kelly, we are not done—"

The sound of a door opening cut him off.

“Robert?! Dave!” Dave turned to see Angela Kelly come around the wall from the front door.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Angela, I wish you had let me know—”

“Well, you have our son to thank for my unannounced visit. And you have no one to thank but yourself for his out-of-line behavior and beliefs. I suppose he’s told you everything he thinks he knows and his opinion of it.”

Robert shot a sharp glare at his son as the younger man stood. The politician was completely unprepared.

“No, your timing was ideal. We had only just started talking.”

“Good, then.” Angela shot a nearly identical look at her son. “Well, there is no time like the present. Dave, could you get me some of that coffee from the kitchen?”

Dave happily accommodated his mother, as she began detailing her intentions to his father. Coffee delivered, he collected his bag and drifted to the back of the large apartment where his room was located. The discussion was already becoming heated, and neither of his parents noticed his absence. Years of observation had taught him the art of running interference well.

He paused at the entrance to his room. He hadn’t been in it for nearly a year. Not since the day he had learned Eleni had been killed. But it wasn’t that day that plagued his mind right now. It was one three days earlier. The one and only time she had ever been at his apartment.

Gathering his courage, he put his hand on the handle and turned.

_The door to the penthouse opened to reveal Eleni, wearing a hooded shirt with the hood raised, and dark pants. She looked at him and her eyebrows went up. He grinned like an idiot. They had done it._

_Over the course of his visits to her apartment, a total of 4 now, Dave had been working out how he could get her into his penthouse. There was more security in his building than Eleni’s, and he had nearly given up the effort, until he had recalled the locked and coded door into the basement of the structure. The space included a garage, and a couple of transports were always stored there in case any of the wealthy inhabitants of the building should require them. Once he had found the code in his father’s files, Dave had been confident they would do it._

_And now, here they were. Closing the door behind Eleni as she entered, he went to grab a large flat box from the couch. Eleni was turning slowly, surveying the room. She glanced at the box as he approached her for a kiss. When they parted, he held the it out to her._

_“What is this?” she asked, looking from the box to his outfit. He was dressed in his best suit, dark heather-grey with a high collar and inch wide silver buttons marching down the front. He’d styled his hair with gel. He looked like he was ready to go to a ball._

_“Something for you to wear.”_

_“Dave, I told you—”_

_“It’ll be an early birthday present if it must! I want to share a piece of the life I know with you, even if it is just for this afternoon.” She looked dubious. “Please.” She relented, and he guided her to the bathroom off of his room so she could change. He went to finish setting the table._

_When she emerged, he stopped and stared as she approached. Her hair, freed from the scarf, was pulled back in elegant twists; her eyes, their natural blue, seemed to shine next to her coffee-and-cream skin. The dress, a shimmery silver with narrow straps over her shoulders, danced along her slight form. Silver swung from her ears, graced her neck and hung at her wrist. She was gorgeous from head to toe._

_He met her outside the dining room and offered her his arm, though he longed to hold her and kiss her. She smiled and they entered the room together._

_“This is gorgeous, Dave,” she said, taking in the table as he guided her into her seat. He’d gotten out the best china and crystal ware. His father rarely used them. A vase of flowers stood at the middle of the table._

_“I’ll be right back.” Going into the kitchen, he carefully collected the two plates he had prepared a minute earlier, and entering the dining room, awkwardly placed one on the large plate in front of Eleni. Her eyes widened at the fresh salad. She opened her mouth to say something._

_“Wait.” He collected a small bottle from the side board, and tried to make a show of pouring the two glasses of red wine. He estimated he did passably well._

_“Dave, is that Balac!? This is too much.”_

_“Well, it’s already poured, so either you drink it, or I’ll drink it and we’ll find out what I’m like when I’m drunk.”_

_To his relief, Eleni picked up her glass. Once he was seated, they touched their glasses in a toast. She took a sip. Her eyes widened in surprise._

_“It doesn’t exactly taste…good, but…”_

_“You get used to it,” Dave replied, though he had only had wine on a handful of other occasions. The drinking age was 20 in the Citadel, but many elite parents let their kids have alcoholic beverages at private events before that. And some teenagers proved industrious and found other ways of obtain the substance, though not wine, of course. “It’ll taste better with the main meal.” He said, as he set his glass down._

_Eleni agreed that it did when he brought out the course containing a small portion of grilled meat, followed by pasta in a tomato-based sauce, two more rare treats due to their resource-heavy production. This day, he had vowed there would be only the best for the woman he loved._

_He and Eleni talked and ate, and he wondered at the level of comfort they had with each other. _

_Finally, they came to dessert, and he nearly jumped out of his seat to clear their plates._

_“What?” Eleni asked as he left the room._

_“You’ll see.” He added the dirty dishes to the pile on the counter, next to the metal boxes that had housed the food he’d ordered from Davio’s, his favorite restaurant. He’d have to return the boxes and wash the dishes later, and not rely on the man they usually called to clean the apartment when it was needed._

_He settled a pot to heating slowly on the stove, and picking up two small plates, returned to the dining room. He was grinning; everything was going just as he’d hoped, and this would be one of the highlights. He set the plate down in front of Eleni._

_“Mmmm…cake!” She clasped her hands together and he only grinned wider at the look of childish delight on her face. “But…isn’t there something missing?”_

_“Ah, wait and see.” He returned to the kitchen, and not a moment too late as a smell of scorching met his nose. “Shit!” he cursed as he removed the pot from the stove. It looked like only a small area had started burning, and, tasting the remaining mixture with a spoon he was relieved to find the rest of it was fine. He quickly brought it to the table._

_“Ow!” The edge of the pot had caught his hand as he poured the thick brown mass over Eleni’s unfrosted cake. She looked at him like he was ruining it._

_“What’s that?”_

_“Chocolate,” he replied with satisfaction. “Melted,” he added, unnecessarily. _

_He moved on to his own cake and smothered it satisfyingly. Pot returned to the kitchen, he joined Eleni once again at the table._

_He watched her as she took her first dubious bite. Then her eyes closed, and she chewed slowly._

_“Oh my god. That’s heaven.” He grinned, and started on his own cake. Eleni smiled at him, a smile that was just her, not shy, not restrained, not wry, not bitter, and he knew it had all been worth it for that moment._

_Once they were done, they left the last of the dishes at the table, and moved to the living room. He turned up the music he had had playing in the background, and held his hand out to her._

_“Do you remember how to dance?” he teased._

_“Do you remember that I was the one to teach you?!” she returned as she glided into his arms, and they moved in the waltzes and fox trots they had danced together all those years ago. _

_As the time passed, he made his steps shorter, and pulled her closer, savoring how it felt to move with her in this way. Sometimes he wished he could dance with her when she practiced her ballet. When he had been small, and Katherine had watched him on occasion as a favor to his father, she had started teaching him ballet alongside Eleni. That had stopped after he had proudly showed his mother a few of the newly learned steps. Ballet was no pastime for someone destined for politics or some other prestigious career. _

_He didn’t blame his mother; it turned out she had been right. Politics was in his blood, and ballet was an awkward paring with that career. He did feel a loss, however: Eleni’s dancing was a part of her he couldn’t touch, only watch from afar. _

_These thoughts were dispelled as Eleni pulled his head down to hers for a kiss. And another. And they didn’t stop, so they went to his room._

_Later, lying together in his bed where he had dreamed of having her so many times, they gazed at each other, as they caught their breath._

_“That time was good, wasn’t it?” he said. A wide smile broke out on her face._

_“It was really good,” she confirmed. He grinned at her like an idiot, extremely satisfied with that response, and kissed her. When he pulled back, they were quiet for another minute._

_“This is awesome,” he murmured._

_She reached up and caressed his face, smiling._

_“Since this is my first time here, why don’t you show me some of your rich-boy toys?”_

_His reply of ‘hadn’t he just done that?’ earned him a pillow thrown in his direction, which he narrowly dodged as he jumped off the bed and threw his button-down shirt back at her in retaliation. As she buttoned that on, he put on his shorts, and started pulling some books off his shelf. The prized collection contained detailed histories of the ancient world, complete with photographs. Eleni was enthralled by them, as he’d hope she would be._

_“Why? Why did they destroy it? When they had so much?” Eleni asked as she flipped through pages featuring pictures of mythical-seeming rainforests vibrant with color, sleepy lakes tucked between mountains covered in trees of dusty green, and islands of emerald, rimmed in tan, floating on water so blue Dave suspected they had doctored the picture._

_He hummed a non-response. There were plenty of theories. The most popular one spoke of a collective ignorance that had been adopted and encouraged in order to facilitate domination, economic or otherwise. A corollary to this was that the powerful had firmly believed that no matter what happened to the rest of the world, they would be relatively unaffected, betraying a carless disdain for the lives of the masses. _

_Other treatises dug into the moral wasteland that had grown out of excess and a culture of instant gratification. The ‘internet’ was frequently invoked as exacerbating the problem, though it seemed that much of the willful ignorance had begun long before its inception. _

_These books sidestepped all those questions, however, and instead dwelled on a sad irony. The human race had evolved to the point of creating near-mythological technologies, making medicine a field of life-saving and life-prolonging miracles, and lastly providing a standard of living that would have been considered luxury in previous centuries, and to unheard of numbers. And when the planet that had birthed humanity was rendered barren to that same form of life, it was the advent of this technological prowess that had allowed humanity, or a small portion of it, to survive. They had grown clever enough to outlive the complete destruction they themselves had caused._

_But, the book asked between the lines, was that something to be celebrated? The lore of the Citadel often claimed it was._

_“To walk for hours surrounded by trees.” Eleni sighed. _

_“Sounds terrifying,” Dave murmured, half joking. Eleni shook her head._

_“It would be like a dream.” Dave nodded. That was all it would ever be._

_Seeking to shift the weight that had entered the room, Dave suggested they move onto video games. Eleni agreed, and proved less than impressed._

_“There can’t be any skill of value to this,” she declared a short time later, throwing down the controller. Her mother had never allowed her to get a game system, and Dave had thoroughly beaten her twice. “You just sit, start at a screen and twiddle your fingers at something that isn’t in any way constructive.” _

_“It’s fun,” Dave countered, grinning at her glare. As he put the game system away, she stretched out on the bed._

_“I could get use to this, though” she announced, arching her back like a cat, arms spread wide and still not going off the side of the king-sized bed._

_Joining her there, Dave hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her close as he voiced his agreement._

_“And I could get used to **this**.”_

Dave found himself staring at his bed. Sleeping in it had been torture after that, and he had moved to the guest room. The morning after his father had informed him Eleni was dead, he had packed and left for his mother’s. 

Now, a year later, he could finally look at the place they had last been together without falling apart. Sure, tears pressed at his eyes as he ran his hand over the neatly made covers, and he had to breath deeply so they wouldn’t overwhelm, but he could remember now, and cherish what he had known, however brief it had been. He knew he’d never experience anything like it again.

From the bag in his hand, he removed the box of photos. Taking out the drawer from his bedside table, he placed the box in a small cubby at the back, a hidden compartment he had created years ago. He settled the box into the space recognizing that it had been foolhardy for him to keep them close this year. This was the place he had always stored them, and it felt right to return them here. His fingers pressed at ring around his finger, but didn’t remove it. Sliding the drawer back into place, he left the room.

His parent’s voices echoed through the penthouse.

“Robert, he stated, not suggested, stated that he should never have existed! He needs help!”

“She was his sister, Angela. They were close. He had no one else like that!”

“You are going to throw this back on me, aren’t you? When you know very well whose responsibility it is that we had no more children!”

He ignored the familiar argument and walked through the living room casually as if he was waiting them out. Once he reached the front door, however, he opened it quietly and slipped out closing it carefully behind him. He had work to do.

**ROBERT**

“Fine,” Robert’s estranged wife snapped at him, “let’s talk to Dave. Maybe undo some of the damage that you have done.”

Robert gritted his teeth. The conversation had quickly devolved from her informing him of her upcoming campaign and platform, to well-tread arguments. He hated these fights with his wife. They had occurred rarely during their marriage, but the emotion pent-up in between always provided ample fuel for the next. He held his own, fending off her well-phrased attacks, but this time he held a sliver of doubt as he did so.

Because this time, he suspected she was right. 

“DAVE!” he yelled in his frustration, as if his son was a misbehaving child and not a full-grown man. Robert waited, turning away from Angela. Silence. His eyes snapped to hers, and they separated, searching the apartment.

When they both came up empty handed, his wife graced him with a look of total disgust, but otherwise left in silence. Robert found relief in that for a moment. But then, in the wake of her departure, the penthouse echoed with silence.

He wandered into his son’s room to dispel the feeling. It looked untouched, but he knew Dave had been in there, and he knew what the young man had likely been remembering.

Robert covered his head with his hands and tried not to think about the day that had signaled the beginning of the end of not only his relationship with his son, but the lives of both the girl he had considered a daughter and the woman who had been one of his most cherished confidants. And, he thought belatedly, the end of an insane plan he had concocted decades earlier, with the sole and selfish goal of keeping his heart’s desire.

His efforts proved in vain.

_Robert Kelly didn’t like to rush, it led too often to mistakes, but he did now. _

_“Thank you, Senator,” Juana muttered as she passed by him at the elevator. There had been a disconnect on the timing of a meeting she was having tonight. Robert was careful about keeping certain documents out of the office until those meetings were close. Now there was a meeting but no document. He nodded back at her. _

_He was taking his dinner break to rush home and get the document in question. He had to be back in time for his scheduled evening meeting which would likely go late._

_He considered calling a transport, but the roads between his office and his penthouse were such that, given the requisite wait for the transport to arrive, it was probably just as fast to walk. So, he did; it helped with his frustration at the inconvenience. Finally reaching his penthouse, and ascending the elevator after a quick wave to Rasputin, he opened the door impatiently. He would grab the document and be back at the office in 15 minutes. _

_Dave must have left music on this morning, he thought as he entered, because there was soft jazz playing in the background. Robert pushed his irritation aside._

_The remains of what had obviously been a romantic meal in the formal dining room, however, stopped him._

_“What the-- ?” The smell of smoke still lingered in the air proving the candles had been recently lit. Roberts eyes dwelled on the two empty wine glasses, and he grimaced. Dave’s allowance would be going to pay for what had been in those glasses for the next year. Robert shook his head, but was nonetheless a bit amused: his son didn’t do anything by halves. _

_He approached his son’s room to ask what the young man had been up to, but as he neared muffled noises from within gave him the answer he had been looking for. Moving away, he put his head back, eyes closed and sighed in exasperation at Dave’s boldness. He supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised given the evidence at the apartment, but it was the last thing he would have expected of Dave, especially after his two disastrous relationships. _

_Slightly disgusted, but deciding he wouldn’t embarrass the young man now and instead let him have the sharp side of his father’s tongue later on, Robert went to retrieve the document in question and started to leave. He didn’t have much time. _

_His mind, however, continued to dwell on his son’s behavior. Why would the boy hide a relationship? Was it a relationship? Robert found it hard to believe that his son would sneak a woman in, and wine and dine her just for sex. So why wouldn’t Dave be public about whomever he was seeing, as bold as he was? He should know that hiding a relationship did not bode well for its future success. And it would cause permanent harm to the woman if they were discovered. _

__

__

_If it was a woman._

_That last thought froze Robert as he reached the door to the penthouse. What if his son was with a man? What if he was gay like his father? It was not hard to believe, Robert realized, recalling Dave’s reluctance to accept Heather’s physical advances. And he knew the relationship with Corella had been an act. He vaguely recalled an adolescent conversation about “Jack and Jill” and was suddenly convinced it had actually been “Jack and Jim”._

_His blood went cold with fear for his son. Robert only knew too well the danger the young men faced. Lives destroyed, possibly even death for one or both. His next thought gave him some hope. He could help them. He had done it himself, hadn’t he? Decided he turned away from the door._

_By the time he reached his son’s room, convinced his son was with another man, he had decided he would tell them about himself and Kurt. Hopefully, that would win their trust and get them to accept his help. He reached the door and opened it without a second thought. He never expected the scene that met his eyes._

_His son was still entwined his lover, who was quite obviously not a man. That brought a small relief, but it was one that didn’t last. She had an unusual hair color and piercing blue eyes that stood out in stark contrast to her cool brown skin. Dave turned his face to his father with difficulty as he was simultaneously trying to pull a blanket over himself and his lover. Dismay and fury were clear in the young man’s eyes, but Robert barely noticed. He kept looking back at the woman. The face, filled with shock turning to despair, was familiar, and cold dread filled him as he finally recognized her._

_“Eleni.” The name came out a strangled whisper. This was worse than anything he had imagined. With difficulty, he regained his composure. “Get dressed, both of you! I’ll see you in the living room.” The terse command reflected the fury now growing in him. He slammed the door behind him as he left._

_He made two brief phone calls, then, he paced the living room struggling with the layers of lies that surrounded Eleni. So far as he knew, the young people thought they were brother and sister, which would make the relationship repulsive. He hoped they had figured out they weren’t blood relatives as much as he dreaded it, but even if that was the case the danger was no less. Dave obviously knew now that Eleni was a mutant, and had accepted it. That would have been fine, good even, if he had still thought she was his sister who needed his protection._

_Robert gripped his head, feeling as if he was going mad with all the disastrous possibilities. The only thing that was certain was that their relationship had to end. Today._

_After what seemed like an eternity, the young couple emerged, each gripping the other’s hand. Robert was relieved to see Eleni dressed in non-descript clothes. At least they had used part of their brains. He wished they had used the rest and seen that none of this should ever have happened. He paced, glaring at them for a moment before starting._

_“You are brother and sister. This is beyond disgusting-,” Eleni cut him off._

_“Senator, I know you are not my father.” She said it calmly, but her eyes, golden brown again, were blazing. He pulled up short. He would be having a word with Katherine later. _

_“Your mother –,” he started, but she cut him off again._

_“Didn’t tell me. I figured it out.” Her calmness helped him regain his own. He took a deep breath._

_“OK, so you know this isn’t incest. That doesn’t make it ok. Everyone else thinks you are related and there is no way to change that! And Eleni, with you being a mutant, the danger to you-,” This time it was Dave who cut him off._

_“We love each other. I’m going to find a way. I won’t give her up!” The young man was adamant. Robert’s suspicions that his son’s feelings were keeping him from seeing reality were confirmed. Further, he now understood that it was Eleni that that silly conversation and Dave’s foolish relationships had been hiding. This affair had been going on for years. That did not bode well for ending it._

_“Dave, you must see that there is no way for you two to have any kind of life together! And what kind of life would it be for Eleni?” Not much better than he had provided her, a traitorous voice whispered at the back of his head. At least he hadn’t promised her love, and in exchange made her compromise herself dangerously._

_“I will find a way-,” Dave began, his voice rising to a roar, but this time it was Eleni who saved them from the pointless and likely damaging argument._

_“Dave, he’s right. There is no way for us.” Her face was sad, and Robert could see her eyes start to shine with tears. Nonetheless, she calmly turned Dave to her, and continued, her voice quavering but not breaking. “We are impossible. We are the midnight sun.” That meant nothing to Robert, but her calm acceptance of the situation told him she had always known they would come to this point. He felt a pang of regret for the life she had known she could never have. Her next words only made that feeling sharp as a knife. “You have given me comfort and warmth in a life I expected to be empty and cold. Because of you I have known love. But it was never going to last.” Her words were whispers. Dave started crying. He begged her not to accept it._

_“Elle, Elle, I only want you. Please we can find a way together. I know we can. Please, don’t do this!” Tears started to fall down Eleni’s smooth cheeks as she reached her hands up to gently grasp her lover’s face._

_“Dave, this may be the last time I ever see you.” Her voice was breaking now, her sad resignation painfully clear. “Please, don’t let this be my last memory of you. Tell me you love me.” The last was a bare whisper, and the poignant plea tore Robert’s heart. Unbidden, he felt tears press against his own eyes. He turned away to give the young couple a last moment of privacy, as his son bent to the pleas of the woman he loved._

_“Elle, I do love you. You know I do. Always. Oh, god, Elle, no. This can’t be the end. Eleni…” She returned with soft professions of her own feelings, and then the words stopped and he knew they were sharing their last kiss. Not able to let it linger, he turned back after a moment and spoke quietly._

_“Eleni, I have transport arranged for you in the basement. It will drop you in the alley behind your apartment building. Keep your hood up.” She gently disengaged herself from Dave, telling him one last time that she loved him, that she always would, then she turned, eyes rimmed red, walked to the door and opened it. Dave watched her, face red and blotched, eyes filled with love and despair until she was out in the hall. As he exited behind Eleni, Robert saw his son turn and run back to his room. He sighed heavily. The young man would need some time._

_In the hall, Eleni had her hands pressed to her face. She heard him exit, and turned towards the elevator. _

_“Eleni,” he stopped her, and said quietly “thank you. And, I’m sorry.” She stopped, but didn’t look back at him. Sighing, he gave her a couple details on the transport that waited for her, and she proceeded to the elevator. As he watched her disappear within, he felt terrible for causing her such pain. The feeling was made worse by the fact that he knew exactly what she was going through. _

_A memory flashed. _

_A beautiful woman, begging him. ‘Please, it’s just a baby!’ The possibilities coming together in his own broken heart. _

_Robert shook his head, denying the memory, and starting to doubt the decision he had made long ago. Maybe…maybe, it would have been better if he had killed her._

“One year,” Robert murmured in the present. He had wandered back out in to the open living room, but stopped at his next thought. “And nineteen.” 

His mind had made the calculation automatically, but it was right: it had been almost exactly 19 years since he had made that first decision that had put them all on this disastrous course.

“I should have killed her,” he whispered, reaffirming his sentiment from a year ago. Consumed with this horrible, and immutable truth, he collapsed onto the couch in his luxurious, but painfully empty, abode.

**MONTAGNE**

**ERIK**

Erik, sitting in the Lensherr Study, doing some late-night work, was distracted by a knock at the door. A glance at the video provided by the camera outside showed his niece waiting there. Erik paused, then let her in.  
With no greeting, that wasn’t her style, she slowly walked the small room observing the items on the walls.

“Considering how you will redecorate once this room is yours?” Erik asked, dryly, as he sat back in his chair.

“I’m having a bit of an issue with my military compatriots, Uncle. I may need your assistance.” Erik had to hold himself back from raising his eyebrows at that.

“I thought you were quite happy with your military career.” Tracy’s smile was stiff.

“I am. But, there has been a difference of opinion brewing, and they need to know who is in charge. If you or my dear grandmother had been able to grasp that concept, then I wouldn’t be in this position.” 

Erik steepled his fingers. Tracy might have a point, and she might just be clever and astute enough to tip the balance once she found stable footing. Evidence was, however, that that wouldn’t be a good development for the Montagne. 

“That’s why I am here,” she continued. “I will not repeat the mistakes granny made, and become a pawn until the day they decide they no longer need me.” 

Erik looked away at that, recalling the horrific day his mother had died. He didn’t tell his niece that the military had had nothing to do with her death.

“You tell me I can’t handle the military, and yet in the same breath you say you need my help,” he pointed out. Tracy grimaced, but didn’t mention out loud that he was still the only one with absolute power.

“We are family, are we not?” she said, instead.

“Tell me more about this ‘difference of opinion’.” During this spat of verbal sparring, Erik’s mind was working to identify information he could milk from this opportunity. Tracy shrugged as if it wasn’t really important.

“They put me on a task, something small but something that required a certain amount of delicacy.” There was an edge to Tracy’s tone suggesting that she had never been happy with the task in question. “I have worked towards completing the task admirably, given its sensitive nature. The military leadership doesn’t agree, and are claiming a right to…an authority over my actions as a result.”

Erik found himself suppressing a laugh. The thought of his niece taking on a task that required ‘delicacy’ stretched the imagination. He wondered if she had been set up.

Nonetheless, he didn’t pry further. He sensed it would require effort to get any more about the topic from his niece, and found it unlikely that the information would be of any real importance.

So, he prepared his own questions instead, ready to bring the heavy hand of his authority down in whatever frivolous manner she requested. Stepping into the fray like this was risky. It would put another target on his back, and possibly undermine his work to date. However, in spite of his preference for working under the radar, recent revelations concerned him and he couldn’t ignore the growing sense of urgency. His niece was offering him bargaining leverage, and he could use that.

Erik stood, and walked to the side of his desk. As he removed his hat, a wave of disgust, irritation, reluctance but also determination washed over him before they were dulled. He looked at his niece, who had pulled herself up and was now uncharacteristically subdued in sentiment.

“I will do this thing for you, Tracy, provided you answer two questions for me.” 

She nodded, her face a mask.

“Tell me everythin you know of the current activities of Colonel Garret, and, tell me _exactly_ what the military knows about the fate of mutants born in the Citadel.”


	33. Chapter 32

**ELENI**

Eleni’s foot beat an impatient rhythm under her desk. Today was the day: in a few hours she would be on stage for opening night of the ballet. Madam P had been pleased with the dress rehearsals at the Grand Theater and Eleni was riding high on her anticipation of leading a top-quality performance this evening.

Unfortunately, she had to sit through most of the school day first.

“Um, professor?”

“Yes, Ebony?”

“There is a topic I have been wanting to ask about for a while, and right now the timing is particularly appropriate…”

“The gentleman is always timely…,” the professor replied with an indulgent smile. It was some kind of inside joke they frequently shared. Eleni couldn’t care less, except that Ebony’s distraction would make this class a write off. She silently encouraged her peer in her efforts.

“Gentlewoman, in this case, of course,” Ebony corrected graciously, the condescending note lost in the conspiratorial tone. Lost on the teacher, at least. “Now, I know you are going to have some reservations, so I ask for a bit of leniency.” 

“OK, Ebony. What is it?”

“May I use the board? My classmates won’t be familiar with this prophecy.”

The teacher hummed suspiciously, but gestured generously towards the black board as he moved to sit atop his desk. The young woman approached the front of the room.

“The prophecy is known as The Swan’s Calling.”

“I suspected as much, Ebony. I need to clarify to the rest of the class that this prophecy has been deemed unreliable. It is essentially meaningless.”

“Yes, that is true. But you understand the timing. We do have a ‘swan’ rising tonight…” the class tittered, and the teacher grinned nastily at the emphasis Ebony put on the reference, “…and it is a fair demonstration of several aspects of Prophetical Theory, even if it is thought to be flawed.”

Eleni suspected the woman had chosen this topic solely to antagonize her, and purposefully moved her thoughts in another direction.

She started mentally reviewing her choreography from the beginning of the ballet. She knew it well, and the exercise was more to calm her and keep her focused. Her excitement over performing in front of an audience was keen. It didn’t matter that the audience would be small, she didn’t dwell on details like that. All that mattered was dancing her best over these next three days.

Because after that she wouldn’t get another chance.

Sadness closed her throat, and to Eleni’s embarrassment, tears pressed at her eyes. She shook her head to dispel the thought, and let herself be distracted by the unhinged debate taking place in front of her.

“Yes, the Telepath, the Magnetist and the Leader are absent from this prophecy,” Ebony’s voice drifted into her mental seclusion, “but it does introduce the Swan, the Broken Child, the Son and the Lost. And as we know from Prophetical Theory, ‘An actor cannot appear in the same prophecy under different references, but they _can_ have different references across multiple prophecies.’ So, couldn’t our standard actors be hiding behind these names? And if so, why do we disregard this prophecy?” 

Glancing over, Eleni saw that Ebony had written a few short lines on the board. 

_The Swan rising,_  
_assuming the mantle of old,_  
_breaks the sky and sets us free._

Eleni looked away again, imagining what it would mean to ‘break the sky.’ If they were in the Citadel, it would be a piercing of the Veil, but that would set no one free. It would probably condemn them all to death.

Realizing she was actually entertaining the idea of a prophecy, she thought about something else. G came to mind, along with anxiety for his situation. Eleni forced herself to recall that Matthew had said there were some promising developments, though he hadn’t shared the details with her. Her confidence that he and Adam would take care of G calmed her nerves: she knew well the miracles that could be wrought by those with wealth and influence.

Matthew. Focusing on him soothed her further, and her eyes closed to him smiling in her mind. It was a mental image she was carefully curating, and it filled her with love, peace and a sense of security. She was glad they were back together; there was something different about their relationship now but she didn’t dwell on that, there was no point. She simply enjoyed it, and imprinted every moment she could firmly in her mind to have for when it would all be a memory.

“Ebony,” the teacher’s dismissive laugh intruded on Eleni’s vision, “the mental acuity of the individual who made this prophecy has long been questioned, and more so due to recent events. Your defense of its validity is built on crumbling ground.”

Apparently, they were still debating whether the prophecy could be accepted as truth.

“Point taken, sir, though not entirely accepted. Let’s take a step back. How do we even discredit a prophecy? Provided it was given by a documented fore-seer, which it was. And the done that foretells the return of the Phoenix!”

“Ebony, you are utilizing diversion as a blunt instrument, but I will entertain you as you have just undermined your own argument: as you yourself said, it is the _only one_ that references that esteemed being. That is hardly a ringing endorsement.”

Curious Eleni again glanced at the board to see what they were speaking about now.

_The Firebird reborn,_  
_carrying the Broken Child,_  
_reveals our shame and burns our past._

“And yet, the Phoenix is a symbol of rebirth. A repeat. A redo. It could happen at any time,” Ebony countered.

“Jean Grey has been gone for centuries, Ebony. She’s been dead nearly three times longer than the length of years she lived. You must see the folly of suggesting such a return.”

Dismissing the references to people who were revered in these caves and nonexistent at the Citadel, Eleni found a comment of Matthew’s tugging at her memory. 

_It was all about swans and firebirds and jeweled cities. I mean, she is a ballerina. _

This was the prophecy that had been made by Madam P and assigned, incorrectly, to her daughter, a person who apparently existed nowhere. 

That thought was quickly followed by a stab of guilt. 

Eleni had been managing her feelings over leaving Matthew for weeks now. She hadn’t considered the need to do so for anyone else, but the lie in that was becoming evident as she realized just how many people she would lose: G, Travis, her friends from the Towers, and Madam P. The last cut most keenly of all.

She was going to leave the woman alone, just when her society was turning away from her. As much as she told herself that that Madam P had Adam and Madelyn, it was thin comfort. The dance teacher had made enough comments that Eleni knew she had enjoyed having a companion in her house again. Even with Madelyn keeping her on as a consultant at the dance school, as was the plan, the woman would soon be even more alone than before Eleni had arrived. 

The UpMountain was already in the process of erasing this woman they had once esteemed, and Eleni suspected she soon be as non-existent to them as was her daughter. Discarded and discredited just like her prophecy.  
Eleni’s lips twisted, wishing they would discredit the rest of the prophecies while they were on their rampage.

“Yes, professor, but it clearly references the Atrium, one of the two references from this prophecy, I would like to point out, that _can_ be cross-referenced and _confirmed_ in other prophecies. And all of those prophecies suggest a substantial event. Potentially _catastrophic_. Look here.”

Ebony’s drama again pulled Eleni’s attention, which, to be honest, she willingly gave to save her from her depressing thoughts. Her eyes once again drifted to the board.

All thoughts fell away, and coldness flooded Eleni as her eyes saw what was written there:

_When the Son rises at midnight,_  
_on the Diamond City,_  
_salvation is at hand._

Distantly, her mind connected that ‘sun’ and ‘son’ were homophones in the language of the Montagne. Her mother had never entertained her questions about the phrase, which the woman had had a habit of mumbling to herself. Eleni-as-a-child had eventually stopped asking, though she had shared it with Dave, translating it, as she had understood it, into the language of the Citadel. Without the middle line, of course: her mother had only ever muttered the first and the last, and there had been no reference to a “Diamond City”. 

In the end, however, none of that really mattered; it was the fact that her mother had known this phrase that did, and that was what turned her to stone. 

Eleni struggled to reclaim her breath. Concern echoed down the bond, and she forced herself to be calm. To think.

While she had realized the woman who birthed her had been at the Montagne, Eleni had assumed she had grown up in the DownMountain. She had imagined being teleported halfway across the continent with no means of survival had been the woman’s punishment for her failure to develop a mutant ability.

Eleni had clearly been wrong.

Her mother had never spoken of her life before the Citadel, though she had taught Eleni a language no one else in that massive city knew and sworn her to silence on that matter. Only once had Eleni been able to get through the woman’s careful armor and trick her into revealing the truth. But once had been enough.

_8-year-old Eleni sat at the table, and stared at the plans in front of her. Maps of pipes with the ghost of roads and buildings sketched over them. She had memorized most of it, and would learn the rest, however at this moment she had a very different goal._

_When her mother finished explaining an irregularity of the system in Bloc 4, Eleni asked softly._

_ “If I get out, where should I go?” Her mother’s eyes met hers above the table, and Eleni knew that for the briefest moment, hopelessness shone in them. _

_ “WHEN you get out,” the woman mumbled, as she looked back down at her notes. “They say there are people out there. On the Wastelands. Look for them. Go west, there is nothing east.” Eleni had never heard about people on the Wastelands, but she disregarded the comment, intent on her purpose._

_ “Mom,” she spoke casually, glancing down at the maps as if they were her true focus, “what about the place where my father is? Could I go there?” Clearly still focused on her notes, the woman rubbed her eyes wearily, and shook her head sadly._

_ “Eleni, I’m afraid that is the most dangerous place in the world for you.” Then suddenly the woman’s head snapped up, eyes wide and nearly furious as she realized what she had just given away. Locking a familiar glare on her daughter, her tone barred no objection. “Eleni, you must tell no one. As far as you are concerned, Robert Kelly is your father. Everything depends upon that! Everything!”_

In the present, Eleni dropped her head into her hands at a memory so strong it was almost violent. She had won that moment, but her mother had never made another slip, and had been stern with her for months after. Eleni had promised to keep the secret, and eventually the woman had accepted that she had no choice but to trust her daughter. 

And Eleni had kept that promise, mostly, and accepted her reality for what it was. She could never know her father because it was dangerous, and in that she trusted her mother. So now, at the memory of her mother’s comment about where her real father was from, she felt like she would lose her breakfast. 

_I shouldn’t be here. I should have left as soon as I knew where I was._ Her dread started to turn to panic. Desperately she tried to maintain control over her emotions. 

Matthew’s concern was growing. That brought her around. Ruthlessly reining her feelings in, she projected relief, as if she had had a slight scare. He would hopefully dismiss it as another prank. Then she focused on the board as if her life depended on it, relieved that the last stanza of the prophecy meant absolutely nothing to her. 

_Praise be to Those Who Cherish._  
_May their Strength unite us _  
_in the wake of the betrayal of the Lost._

_Only in them can life be secure._

Ebony supposition on this segment was a distant buzz in Eleni’s ear as her brain worked overtime. One part of it said she could find out who her mother had been; it whispered that it wouldn’t be difficult, but Eleni shut it down and refused to follow that line of thought. She shouldn’t be here, that was all that mattered. Her eyes squeezed shut; she knew she wouldn’t leave until the ballet was done, but then she would be gone. The promise to her mother would remain, somewhat, intact.

Forcing her thoughts from anything else, she began to plan her escape.

**MATTHEW**

Matthew strode into the Grand Theater with hardly a thought for the elaborate gold mouldings on the walls or the rich carpet beneath his feet. He pushed past the plush velvet curtains with one sole purpose.  
Spotting his father inspecting some scenery with the stage crew, he made a beeline for the man.

Adam shot him a look as he approached, and moved his hands in a calming gesture.

“I’ll be done in a minute, Mattie.”

Impatiently, Matthew waited. He knew there was news; Adam had sent him a message during class that morning, asking his son to seek him out once he arrived at the theater. There hadn’t been any updates from Greystone over the past few of days, and while nothing new had come out on G in the papers, meaning they had no proof to back up their allegations of him promoting abortion, Matthew wanted the situation to change. More specifically, he wanted to know if he could change it. 

“Hey,” a familiar voice said, and happily distracted, Matthew turned to his girlfriend.

“Hey,” he said back, after a long kiss, “how was your day?”

“Mmmm,” she hummed. “Good day.” Matthew snorted. Was there ever such a thing now? “You?”

“Decent.” Then he remembered what he had felt this morning. “More pranks?”

“It actually wasn’t that bad,” she replied to his relief. “Had a bit of a surprise at one point, though.”

“What happened?”

“I’d rather not talk about it. It was stupid.” Matthew rested his forehead on hers for a moment. There was an undertone of sadness to her, an echo of what he had felt earlier. He wanted to ask more, but felt constrained by time and everything else that was happening.

“You sure you’re ok?” he said instead. She nodded, though conflicting responses drifted on the bond and in his mind. He forced himself to set them aside as he saw Adam approaching.

“Adam wants to talk to me. Why don’t you head back? I’ll find you later.”

“OK.” Eleni smiled and walked away.

“So, what is it, Dad?” Matthew asked the man when he came close enough. Adam closed the remaining distance and spoke quietly.

“Two things. One, we heard back from the military.”

“And?” Matthew asked, insistently. He had been easing himself into the idea that, while distasteful, his joining the military could help his friends. He had even looked at Jae’s schedule, and found it not to dissimilar from his own, if you swapped drills for ballet and strategy classes for his civil courses. Save for the ‘Offensive Applications of Mutant Abilities’ course, that was.

“It was a plant. They’re offering us a deal. I’ve asked for more details, but the bones of it are that you transfer to the military academy in exchange for them releasing G and Bright from their contracts.”

“And what about the allegations against G? Will they let that go?”

“Greystone has gone back with that question.” Matthew nodded, increasingly confident that he knew what to do if the answer was yes.

“So, I can be the one bound to them for life instead,” he said, half joking. 

“This is serious, Mattie.” Adam rebuffed his attempt at humor. “I’m not entirely comfortable with it. Not with how things have been going for us.”

“Neither am I, but it’s my decision. Did you ask how long the commitment will be?”

“I expect they will provide that. I took the liberty of indicating you weren’t interested in the long-term. I hope you don’t mind.”

“I don’t. So, we are waiting on that. You said there were two things.”

“Well, the accusation of G promoting abortion is public now and even if the military lets it go others may pick it up.”

Matthew scrubbed his head in frustration.

“There’s something we can do?” From his father’s attitude, he knew there was.

“Greystone walked me through the protection it provides if I hire them. G and Bright that is. It’s substantial. The case, if it should be proven and pursued, is far more likely to resolve in a deal than go to court.” Matthew furrowed his brow, now uncomfortable with power they had over their workers. He hadn’t had time, yet, to review the employment contracts.

“That’s great, but how exactly do we have the ability to step into our employees lives like that? This issue is completely unrelated to the vineyard, and yet we can influence the decision?”

Adam spread his hands.

“It’s always been this way, Mattie. You know that. You should sit down with Greystone on the particulars, but any employer has leeway to provide protection for their workers.”

Matthew found himself thinking that while at the vineyard, wondering how many people used that power only to protect. 

“Anyway, you should go get changed before Natalya finds you. Think about it.”

Matthew nodded mutely, and, lost in thought, he went to prepare for the ballet.

**CITADEL 2031.04.17 (same day)**

**DAVE**

The sun had just set as Dave hopped off the trolly just outside the train yard in Bloc 9. He angled northward, as if he were walking to some small shop on the outskirt of Bloc 1, but paid no attention to his surroundings. The rally would take place in less than three hours, and energy pulsed through him with every step.

Everything had come together; his father had proved no threat, and the final remnants of resistance form Sanida had been easily parried. While he was realistic that this would be a small rally, it was a start, and it was the first time they were going topside, so to speak. Purpose and energy coursed through his body. He flexed his hands and felt as if sparks should scatter at the movement.

“I’m doing this because of you, Elle,” he whispered, as he ducked right onto a narrow street that would take him into Bloc 8. “I’m sorry I didn’t see what would really help you, but for the others, I’ll do it right.”

He had changed again, he could feel that, though it had been a slow process this time. He was no longer the boy who had verbally railed against his father when the man had confined him to the penthouse a year ago; railed, but then obediently stayed put. No, he was no longer that boy, throwing a tantrum at having something he wanted kept from him, so blinded by his own indignation that he had failed to recall the real threat that had stalked the woman he loved. A threat that had proven lethal.

The exact events of the day of Eleni’s death was still a bit of a mystery, but his father had informed him of what he knew. The man had received a text from Katherine in the afternoon, around the time when Eleni should have arrived home from school. Robert had called the garda requesting that someone check her apartment to make sure everything was ok. On the same call, he asked his contact there to let him know if anything was reported in regards to his daughter. 5 minutes later, he received a call back and learned that some young men were at a station making claims that a gang was after her.

By the time Robert arrived at the station in question, the young men had left, and no action had been taken: the young men had themselves been in a state of disagreement, and none of them had revealed why they suspected the young woman was in danger. 

Senator Kelly asked the garda to indeed check whether any gang activity had been noticed, and set to retrieving the three young man. The latter task had proved fairly easy, as they were found nearby, still arguing. They were assembled in an interrogation room with a detective and the senator himself. While the stories came out quickly, they had clearly been diluted: the men had followed Eleni home, and she had taken a shortcut into an alley which they thought was dangerous, but when they had tried to stop her they had seen her hair. 

As more influential parents had started calling, however, the focus had shifted from determining whether those stories were true, to making it clear the men had seen nothing of note, and most certainly not a mutant. In exchange, they would receive an apology for being detained, no charges of harassment would be filed, and the entire incident would go away.

Meanwhile, the garda who initially visited the apartment building, never went inside. Katherine had been there, packing for a move, as Robert Kelly had sought to hide Eleni from his son. The garda had encountered the movers, who had assured him that they had spoken to Katherine only moments before and she had been fine. The movers left shortly after the garda, only approaching the building to remove the prop they had used to keep the door open. The garda had returned to the station and reported that all was clear, incidentally stopping the new efforts set in motion by the senator’s second request to survey gang activity.

The perfect storm of mundane events and miscommunications had clearly allowed someone to slip into the building, and let their friends in through the back door. By the time authorities finally made it to the apartment, all that had been left were bloodstains on the floor.

Dave bowed his head, and slowed his steps at the memories. For weeks after Eleni’s death, what might have happened in the alley and apartment had played out in all sorts of horrifying permutations in his mind, but he had denied his own part in it. He no longer did. Since his visit back to the penthouse in particular, it had hounded his thoughts: how he had though only of himself when action had been necessary. He took a deep breath. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

“I wish you were here to take part in it,” he whispered in closing. His feet had stopped, and he reached up to wipe stray tears from his eyes, then brush his earring with his fingers. Once calmed, he stepped forward, emerging onto the street that held Natal’s family warehouse.

He reached an adjacent office. Eresh waited outside, and led Dave in to help carry supplies.

“Put your hood up!” Sanida made the demand in a fierce whisper. It had been one of the compromises he had had to make to get the rally to happen now: they all wore non-descript dark clothing, and could cover their faces with the hoods of their sweatshirts.

Sighing, he put up his hood and joined Sanida, Natal and Eresh.

“512,” Natal muttered when he came to collect a speaker.

“What?” 

“The code to this warehouse. Just in case.” Dave nodded, but he was confident it wouldn’t come to that. He did, however, commit the number to memory and also made careful note of the abstract design of Natal’s family business that graced the wall by the office door, so that he would recognize it in the future.

It was less than five minutes to the square where they would hold the gathering. There, they set up at the back of the statue’s base, and Natal immediately put them to work.

“Dave, you and I are going to run the extension cord for the speakers and the light. Sani, Resh, watch the stuff.” 

The plan was this: they would all stay at the back of the statue. As the rally was being held when it was full dark, the night would provide significant cover, and the hoods would make it difficult if anyone decided to take picture of them huddled at the base of the statue.

The statue itself would be lit, however. Not because it represented anything of importance to the mutant cause; on the contrary it memorialized a military leader who had defeated an especially dangerous mutant in the distant past. Nonetheless, Dave hadn’t liked the visual of speaking to a dark square. Sanida and Natal had objected, only relenting when he agreed that no one would step into the light, and that the sound on the microphone would be muffled so his voice would be unrecognizable. The second concession still made him grit his teeth, but he had agreed.

They also covered the statue in a white sheet, for it had felt wrong to speak words for the mutant cause while highlighting one who would have condemned it.

Soon he and Natal were running the extension cord into the square, then the speakers were set up, and finally the statue was covered though they didn’t light it yet. With a half hour to go, they crowded in the shadowed side of the statue, and waited.

**MATTHEW**

Energy pulsed through Matthew; the ballet would begin any moment now. He was waiting downstairs to be called up after the opening scene, which took place between Eleni and Matin. Through the intercom, the chatter of the audience was audible. He flexed his feet, then pointed them, feeling energy flow through him and out of his toes.

“I can’t believe this is actually happening,” Cordelia moaned from nearby. Matthew reminded himself that he could now count the number of times he’d have to dance with the woman on one hand.  
The excitement was allowing him to set all his worries aside, and even thoughts of G and the military were distant. While it was only a temporary stay, Matthew welcomed it. Only one thing mattered now: dancing with Eleni.  
“They’re starting!” someone called out. “Quiet!”

Sure enough, the noise over the loud speaker quieted. Then Madam P’s voice came on.

“Thank you all for attending tonight. It is my great pleasure to bring you this performance, made possible by a cast of some of the most talented dancers I have known in my career. As you know, the performances tonight, tomorrow and this Holday Eve represent the end of my career in both directing ballet performances and in ballet in general. I gladly share this performance as a culmination of my love of dancing. Further, I dedicate it to my late daughter, Katyana, that her life be remembered as the gift that it was. Thank you.

At the groans and curses that met the closing of his dance teacher’s speech, Matthew looked around the room, locking eyes at intervals with several of his cast mates. No one said a word in return, but several glared murder at him. He smiled in return.

The performance began.

**CITADEL**

**DAVE**

“There’s a couple coming,” Eresh said. “Let’s turn on the light so they don’t accidently stand in front of it.” Natal nodded and moved to do just that.

It was 5 minutes until the rally was scheduled to start. The 4 of them were still gathered behind the statue, and Sanida, Eresh and Dave were taking turns keeping watch while Natal monitored the equipment. Everything had been tested, and was working.

“Get closer behind the statue,” Natal whispered. “I’m turning it on now.”

A moment later, the area to the left and right of them was suddenly bathed in milky white light.

“I hope they stay in front,” Sanida said. Then, observing her three companions “pull your hoods up further,” she commanded. Even sitting in the shadow, the ambient light illuminated them to pale ghosts, and possibly to the point of recognition. 

“They’ve kept our trust so far,” Dave pointed out with confidence, though he did tug at the cloth around his face. The fact that his father was still oblivious to their activities had solidified his faith in the Network.

The crowd slowly grew, and no one approached them. 

“It sounds like there are a lot of people out there,” Eresh murmured as the time to speak approached. The square was now home to a muted buzz. “Can you tell how many, Sanida?”

“No,” the woman responded. “Dave, don’t you dare look.”

He smiled into the darkness, Sanida’s terse order proof that the crowd was indeed large.

Natal moved closer to his boyfriend. 

Those final few minutes, the buzz grew, and at one point the sound of a conversation rose at the back of the crowd, but Dave gave no notice it as he glanced at the time on his phone. 

“It’s time,” Eresh said, confirming Dave’s movement. The man’s eyes were wide with excitement and appeared to glow.

Shifting his own eyes to meet Sanida’s, Dave found hers narrowed and wary.

“Let’s just get this over with!” she snapped. 

Dave nodded and Natal handed him the microphone. Dave pulled his hood low, and stood, though he stayed behind the statue. He did peer around the side, and saw suggestions of their audience: suggestions of forms cloaked in darkness created by the light. Dave could discern nothing from them, and as the speakers crackled to life, all other sound died, and his ears were just as blind.

He didn’t let that stop him, and opening his mouth, which remained uninhibited, Dave spoke the speech he had been preparing for weeks:

“First, thank you all for coming today and standing with us in our common goal of amnesty. Each one of you, and many more in this city, I know, has been touch by the pain of having a loved one taken. Mostly infants, but sometimes toddlers, sometimes children, sometimes teenagers and sometimes even adults. Daughters, sons, grandchildren, husbands, wives, grandmothers, grandfathers. All taken and executed. For doing what? For living as they were born.

“The Humanists would have you believe that we bring the advent of mutants down upon ourselves through our wicked actions. Yet so many of you have, with tears in your eyes, asked me how that newborn babe could have been evil? It only looked to be nurtured and loved. How could your husband have been evil, when he had only been a dedicated father and spouse? How could your grandmother, who had never hurt a soul, have been evil? No, I see no evil there. I see the evil in those who would attack the innocent in such a brutal manner. And today we stand for it to stop!

“A woman I once knew used to say that when the sun rises at midnight, salvation will be at hand. The phrase stuck with me, though I never understood what it meant. Until I experienced this pain and found this cause. It represents what appears to be an impossible goal, but the only path to life! Today is just the beginning, and I **refuse** to believe that our goal is impossible. Together, we can stop the killing. Together, we can save our children. Together, we can find the way back to **life**!

“Today, we show the world that we do not subscribe to blind brutality, that we reject the belief that those created in love are damned just because of how they are born. We challenge a status quo that has stood for a millennium! For those who will say we ask for the impossible, I say we do not ask, we demand! For we **will** see the sun rise at midnight, and we **will** claim salvation for **our own future**!” 

Dave Kelly finished his short speech to an echoing the cry from their audience. A far louder cry than he had anticipated.

“Shit!” Sanida swore, but he found the sound energizing. 

Suddenly, the compromises he had made to hold this rally seemed weak next to the number of people who had come to show their support. He wanted to give them more, to show them that their faith was not misplaced.  
Making a split-second decision, and ignoring Sanida’s desperate plea for him to stop, he stood up, stepped around the statue, and mounted the set of steps at the front. 

He removed his hood.

Another cheer met him, louder this time and he heard his name echoing within the sound.

“We will do it!” he called as loud as he could, no longer assisted by the microphone.

Then a sharp sound cracked the air, and his body exploded in fire.

**MATTHEW **

Matthew leaped, he glided, and with Eleni at his fingertips, he flew. In spite of all the controversy, the performance was coming together in spectacular fashion. Madam P’s expertise and the talent of their cast broke through all hesitations and ugly emotions for a raw and moving display. The energy he had felt earlier was felt by all now, and it showed.

At the pinnacle of the performance, was Eleni, gliding across the stage as Odette and Odile, heart break in her every step. She encapsulated the delicate beauty of the swan princess that everyone expected, but underlying that beauty was a painful poignancy. In the heat of the performance, Matthew didn’t question the despair in her eyes, or the sense of reaching in his heart. He simply lived it, for it was as it should be.

The spell wasn’t broken until they were standing on stage for their final bow. In spite of the small audience, the applause persisted and they had come back out for a second bow, with Madam P being awarded a gorgeous bouquet of the rarest of flowers. Eleni was crying as was much of the cast, and for that moment, nothing else mattered.

As they exited the stage, Matthew put an arm around his girlfriend, and squeezed her shoulder. She looked up at him, and it was as if she were still in character.

“There are no dry eyes in that audience,” he whispered triumphantly. She returned a satisfied smile on her face though she herself was still blinking away tears, and nodded.

“We did it.”

“_You_ did it,” he stated. “It was like you were on a whole different level.”

A sadness slid through Eleni’s feelings at these words, and buoyed by a desolation that response triggered anxiety in Matthew.

“I was,” she said distantly.

“Elle, is everything ok?”

“I’m just emotional,” she responded. “We need to go change. My make-up must be a mess.” 

With a quick kiss, and a reminder from Matthew that there was a gathering afterwards in one of the lower level rooms, they parted.

A half hour later, Matthew, changed and cleaned of make-up, waited in the appointed room. The buzz from the performance lingered, and several of his castmates who normally ignored him had actually struck up conversation. Everyone was satisfied with their achievement that night, to the point that no one mentioned the small memorial Madam P had set up to the side for her deceased daughter, complete with an elusive photograph.  
“We have a special guest arriving in a moment! Everyone remain here!” Madelyn called out from the front of the room. Matthew searched the crowd looking for Eleni, and still didn’t see her.

Then a feeling of horror blossomed across the bond, and Matthew’s head snapped in the direction of Madam P’s memorial. Eleni’s scarfed head was only just visible through the crowd, and Matthew started making his way over as the feelings grew to encapsulate shock, sadness, guilt, regret, and even echoes of hatred. The maelstrom of emotion made it hard to breath.

“Elle, what’s the matter?” he asked, shocking her out of a trance. She had been standing, staring at the picture of Katyana Pietrovich.

“Wha--? Oh, it’s nothing,” she lied, chagrin and weariness suddenly overwhelming her other emotions through the bond. He narrowed his eyes.

“Elle, it’s clearly not nothing,” that comment was met by a wave of irritation, still cloaked in regret and more weariness. 

Matthew’s concern grew at her reactions, oversized for his normally contained girlfriend. Was her emotional investment during the performance taking its toll?

“What is it, Elle?”

“Matthew, I just want to go.”

“We can’t. We’re waiting for someone,” he tried to manage his dismay at her reticence to speak of something that was so clearly affecting her. “Please talk to me.” Her silence was increasingly distressing.

She looked at him for a long moment. Her expression slowly shifted to one of defeat and the emotion, steeped in exhaustion, was reflected through the bond. 

Eleni opened her mouth and spoke.

At that moment, there was movement at the front of the room, and the sudden buzzing from their castmates drowned out Eleni’s quiet words.

“Everyone, everyone. Quiet please. Your attention here!”

Matthew ignored Madam P as she continued to call for quiet, and didn’t even look towards the front of the room to see who had arrived. His eyes remained fixed on Eleni, who’s own eyes had drifted back to the picture.

“Elle, I—," he was interrupted.

“Matthew, Madam P is looking for you and your rat! Get up there!” Matthew ignored the hissed comment and the fact that the crowd was parting to his right. He needed to know what was bothering his girlfriend, and he knew this was likely his only chance to do so.

“Quiet please!”

“Elle, I didn’t hear. Please say it again. Louder.” Eleni opened her mouth and spoke again, irritation punctuating and accentuating her response, as the cast finally acquiesced to silence.

“Katyana Pietrovich is my mother.”

Eleni’s words echoed like a shot into the newly silent room.

Her expression changed from defeated to horrified as she connected what had just happened. 

Everyone had heard.

The cast started tittering. Matthew just stared at his girlfriend, his concern for her mental state exploding in his brain. 

“Elle…,” he whispered, at a loss.

“Matthew,” she said, but it wasn’t a response. She was now looking towards the front of the room, and urgency edged her tone. He followed her gaze to find two people approaching them in concern and determination: Madam P and her guest, the Head. 

Matthew’ eyes caught on Erick Lensherr’s face, and the intent look he found there confirmed, in his mind, that the man knew what he knew: that Eleni believe the impossible statement she had just uttered. It had registered as truth.

Matthew tried to come up with something to smooth the situation over, but failed. The Head took control.

“Natalya, I think you need to get her home for some rest.” His eyes never left Eleni’s face, though the young woman looked only at Madam P.

Desperate, Matthew spoke up, his words tripping over each other.

“Head Lensherr, we – we’ve been working non-stop on this ballet. It means, it means everything to Eleni, and it has been so intense…” _…so that was why she has lost touch with reality._ He couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.

The Head’s piercing blue eyes landed on him. 

“Just so,” was all the ruler said in response. Then he raised his voice so the entire crowd could hear. “That was an outstanding performance given by all here. You have worked hard, and I wanted to show my appreciation. Now go home and get some rest so you are ready for the remainder of your performances.”

Echoes of “Thank you, Head Lensherr,” could be heard as the crowd began to buzz and disperse. Many people looked back over their shoulders to the place where Matthew and Eleni stood. The Head nodded to them, glancing again at Eleni, and departed with his entourage in tow.

Madam P turned back to Matthew and Eleni as he left, concern in her eyes as she looked at the latter.

“Let’s get you home.”

**CITADEL 2031.04.18**

**KURT**

Kurt stared at the body that lay prone before him. So young, so much promise, and it had all been destroyed in a matter of moments. He struggled with his own role in that destruction.

“How much more time, doc?”

The doctor looked over at the large man sitting beside him. Rasputin as he was called, though it was in fact his last name, was so massive he could barely pass as a non-mutant. The man had cleverly taken up body building when he muscles began to grow exponentially in his teenaged years. The growth had stopped just short of becoming unbelievable. 

Robert had come up with the idea of installing him at a security guard in his building, and sure enough none of the occupants there objected to such a burly man sitting at the front desk. The man had recognized Dave and acted fast when the boy had gone down.

Kurt glanced at his watch.

“We’ll go in 20 minutes.”

Midnight had come and gone. Kurt had done what he could for Dave: the wound was cleaned and bandaged. The bullet had lodged, and was stemming the bleeding, so he had left it in. They had debated taking the young man to a hospital many times over, however there were too many outcomes where that path went wrong.

And yet, Kurt still questioned the conclusion they had come to again and again.

“Robert will be devastated to lose him.”

“His chances of survival are just as good at a hospital,” Rasputin said, reiterating their previous discussions. “If his role in tonight’s rally has spread, it would be convenient for him to tragically pass away as a consequence of his actions. And if he lives…”

Rasputin was more confident in their decision than Kurt. 

“But…they’d have to give him a chance.” 

Rasputin shook his head.

“You know for all the freedoms they profess we have, the Citadel doesn’t come near the liberty of the 20th century. There is no freedom of speech here, unless you are a Humanist.”

Kurt bowed his head. Was it so certain? In spite of the danger he courted everyday with his secret work, his heart resisted the idea that the boy would be severely punished for just talking. Then again, he reminded himself, there were no recent examples of what Dave might face, and the examples from the past were not heartening.

So, he again came to the same conclusion: he was going to put Dave on the train and send him into the unknown on a prayer.

“Bobby will be devastated,” he whispered again, forgetting himself in the moment and using his love’s familiar name. He didn’t even notice when Rasputin glanced at him, then glanced away.

To pass the time, Kurt took a ring out of his pocket. It had slipped from Dave’s finger, slick with blood, when Kurt had removed the weakly grasping hand to see to the wound. Wiping it off with his handkerchief and the little water he had left in his bottle, he used the light from his phone to inspect it for more blood, intending to replace it on the young man’s finger once it was clean. 

It was a gorgeous piece, he found, of the best quality. A chain motif was etched onto it, but as Kurt followed the pattern with his eyes, he was distracted by markings inside the band. He shifted the light.

_Eleni Letitia_

Kurt’s heart stopped. Another sign of the boy’s foolishness, to walk around wearing such an item. Kurt again felt the sting of his regret at not alerting Robert to Dave’s activities. He bore the responsibility for this disaster, and knew he would have to tell his love what he had done. 

The hand holding the ring dropped into his lap, as he switched the light from his phone off. He also knew he couldn’t return it to Dave as he had intended.

He remembered well Dave’s quest to find a middle name for Eleni, even though it had occurred over a decade ago, and he had only heard the story second-hand. Katherine had shared some bemused bits, but it was Robert who had related the story in full. How his six-year old son had discovered that his half-sister had no middle name, so he had decided to give her one. 

Dave had apparently taken his time, set on finding the ‘perfect’ name. 

_Elle just rolled her eyes at him and told him there are more important things than a name_, Robert had chuckled. Nonetheless, on the day when Dave had informed her of the one he had chosen, according to Robert, she had looked at her companion with wonder, and hadn’t been able to stop smiling. Kurt sighed and fell into the memory.

_“It was wonderful to see, Kurt.”_

_“I wish I could have been there.” He did. “So?”_

_“So?”_

_“The NAME?” Robert laughed, and ran his hand down Kurt’s back._

_“First, guess where he found it.”_

_Kurt acquiesced with ill-concealed irritation, more focused on Robert’s hand on his bare skin than on trying to find the right answer, and after three incorrect guesses, Robert gave in._

_“At church.” Kurt sighed out in further irritation._

_“That is a wonderful place to find a name,” he declared honestly._

_“Even a borderline Humanist one? It’s the one he goes to with Angela, every Sunday. That’s where he heard it and discovered what it meant.”_

_Kurt dismissed his boyfriend’s scoff at religion. It wasn’t the time for another round of that debate._

_“And WHAT IS IT?” Robert grinned, his hand finally settled on Kurt’s waist._

_“Letitia.”_

_“That means ‘joy’. It’s beautiful.”_

_“Yeah. Dave said, and I quote, ‘she brings me joy. So, I’m giving some back to her!’ And he had the most devilish look in his eyes when he said it.”Robert laughed bemused and delighted._

_“He’s got his priorities straight,” Kurt responded, as he leaned into his lover, charmed by the story but done with conversation, for their time together was short._

Even now, even in this wretched situation, the memory made Kurt smile. He could easily conjure an image of impetuous, young Dave, and he knew the exact expression the boy had worn. It was the same one his father wore when he succeeded in his indomitable determination. The determination that, combined with his position, had allowed him to grasp whatever he wanted, no matter how audacious.

And now, he, Kurt, had effectively let that boy sign his own death warrant, because he had believed the son to be as invincible as the father. That was why Kurt hadn’t stopped him, even knowing the danger, and why he had kept Dave’s activities a secret from Robert. He had hoped that that bubble of entitlement and imperviousness that surrounded them both could be utilized to make real change. Robert had done it for years in increments, so why not raise the bar higher? Dave was so well regarded. Now, however, Kurt was faced with the terrible truth that there was a limit to their power. 

And, face with that reality, he found he wasn’t willing to bet that the senator’s position and charisma was enough to keep his son safe in the wake of what the boy had done. 

Miserable, but decided, Kurt glanced at his watch.

“It’s time.” 

Rasputin carefully eased his arms under the board supporting Dave, and lifted the young man. They had hidden in a warehouse further into Bloc 8, but near the border of the trainyard in 9. It was a short walk to where a set of tracks entered the yard, and it was there that they slipped in. 

The yard was dimly lit, and not well staffed in the middle of the night, so they were able to maneuver through spots of dark with relative ease. A canopied walkway edged the entire yard, and was darkest on the far side near the trash train: the managers were slow to replace the lights when they went dim, and Kurt was adept at making them go dim.

They reached a low bed carrying larger pieces which didn’t fit well into the containers, such as discarded segments from the Veil or train tracks. The effort to make those materials free of magnetic metals also made them unrecyclable. Kurt carefully lowered a section of the short, angled sides and Rasputin laid Dave’s body on the platform within. The movement jarred the young man a bit, and for a moment his eyes fluttered open.

“Eleni…”

Kurt’s heart broke anew. _Couldn’t we help them find a way?_ That was the question he had posed to Robert, when the man had made the rare and dangerous request to see him as soon as possible after discovering the young peoples’ affair. Robert had rejected the idea, Kurt still believed there could have been another way. 

Sure, it wouldn’t have been ideal. He and Robert were evidence of that, as they had compromised and learned to let go of much over the years: Kurt had taken to finding pleasure with others, when a safe opportunity presented, and Robert and Katherine’s affair hadn’t been a complete sham. But nonetheless, their love had endured, and perhaps it would have been the same for Dave and Eleni. Now, in hindsight, Kurt reflected sadly, it might have saved both their young lives as well.

Taking one last look Kurt whispered a prayer that the young man would be recovered before the train reached the incinerator. Then he raised the flap, and settled it back into place.

Rasputin looked on sadly from behind, and spoke when Kurt finished his task.

“Let’s not to do this again next year,” the large man said. “Once was too much. Twice is unbearable.”

Kurt nodded, unable to speak for tears. Then they turned and left in the cover of darkness.


	34. Chapter 33

**MATTHEW**

“You’re right. I was just overcome in the moment. The ballet and everything. I don’t know why I said that.”

Matthew watched his girlfriend closely as she said these words. Words that only served to increase the feeling of dread engulfing his mental state. Eleni stared at the table and refused to meet his eyes. Madam P and Adam, sitting across the table from them back in Madam P’s kitchen, sat back with relief. 

They had been coaxing Eleni about her statement that Katyana Pietrovich was her mother, trying to help her see that it was impossible. Trying to bring the young woman back to reality. They thought they had succeeded, but Matthew knew the truth. Eleni was lying to them: she still believed that Katyana Pietrovich was her mother.

Sitting to the right of Eleni, he held her hand, rubbing the back of it lightly with his thumb, and held back tears. Had it been the pressure of living UpMountain? All the discrimination, and negativity directed at her presence here and her place in Matthew’s life? Had it been the pressure of the ballet? Their at times rocky relationship? She had seemed so strong all along, so impervious to what they did to her, to the things that had happened. He was starting to think that her strength had been an illusion, and one that had finally shattered.

A noise at the back of the kitchen revived him from his disturbing thoughts. Looking up, he momentarily thought he had succumbed to madness as well because the wall was swinging open. Adam leapt up from his seat, suddenly defensive. Madam P also started to stand, but then paused when the Head himself, Erik Lensherr, entered the kitchen. Adam stumbled in shock, and Matthew felt his mouth drop open at the improbability of what was happening. Why was the most powerful man in the Montagne entering Madam P’s kitchen through a secret door? Adam put the question to voice.

“Why are you here? _How_ are you here?” The required reverence for the Head was noticeably absent. The Head ignored Adam’s question, his eyes fixed on Eleni as he approached the table. Madam P provided the answers.

“This house backs the same outcropping as the Lensherr residence. Erik had a passage created for himself and Katyana when they got engaged. So, they could meet without all the attention, and so she could visit me freely once they were married.” 

Matthew kept his eyes on his father. Adam’s face was a mask of incredulity and dislike. Jealousy, still hot after all this time, emanated from him.

The Head, who had finally turned his eyes to his former rival, glared back in return, proving the dislike to be mutual. Madam P thankfully stopped them from trying to kill each other with their eyes.  
“Erik, why are you here? I thought the tunnel had been sealed.”

“The doors were. I reactivated them. To speak with this young woman.” Concern creased Madam P’s brow.

“Erik, she just admitted that the pressure got to her. I believe it was a momentary slip in...her grasp of reality.” Matthew admired the woman’s attempt to avoid saying the word ‘sanity’. The meaning was just as clear. “Please, I intend to get her help. Let’s not make this any more than it is.”

“And I, Natalya, need to be certain that it was just a momentary slip and no more.” He switched his attention to Eleni. She had lifted her eyes, and was staring at the man intently. Her control was back on her emotions, but even with that Matthew felt whispers of anxiety. He squeezed her hand. Her eyes moved briefly to his, but then returned to the Head. The man had removed his hat, leaving his white hair bare and making his blue eyes more pronounced.

“Child. Eleni,” he amended softly, as he sat in a chair provided by Madam P. His Montagne pronunciation of Eleni’s name softened the middle vowel to a gentle ‘ay’. He was being deliberate, and Matthew had the impression the man had prepared for this interrogation, for as gentle as he tried to be, there was nothing else it could be. “Where did you grow up?” 

Matthew started in surprise, and felt Eleni tense beside him. The man had thought his plan of attack through, starting with a question that seemed innocent enough. What the Head didn’t know was that the answer seemed even more impossible than Eleni claiming that her mother was Katyana Pietrovich. As Matthew remembered where Eleni had grown up, the idea that the fabled dancer, disgraced when it was found she was no mutant, could be her mother became slightly less impossible.

Eleni took her time before responding. 

“I don’t like to talk about that. It’s private.” Matthew sucked in a breath. No one refused to answer a question posed by the Head. Erik Lensherr, however, kept his temper, though his eyes narrowed slightly. Unexpectedly, he didn’t press her further on that topic and raised his hand to stop Madam P’s who had started urging Eleni to comply. Instead, he reached into his pocket and drew out an object. 

“Have you seen this design before?” He opened his hand to revealed an elegant pocket watch. The front had a motif of swans and flowers on it. It was familiar to Matthew, and when he remembered where he had seen it, he exclaimed softly in shock before he could stop himself. He regretted it as soon as it happened.

The Head’s eyes snapped to him. 

“Mr. Summers, is this familiar to you?” Matthew felt frozen in the gaze of those piercing blue eyes. Eyes that were suddenly familiar. He gazed into a matching pair every day. His stomach began to shrink.

He felt a flash of irritation from Eleni, and glanced to see a fleeting look of annoyance cross her face. He had outed her. He had no idea of how she would have avoided that question, or the ones that were sure to follow if she had, but it didn’t matter now. His inadvertent exclamation had put her in a corner. As irritation shifted to resignation, she reached into her scarf, and came away with the locket balanced between her fingers. Matthew had suggested she wear it on the chain he had given her, but she had explained that it was all she had left of her mother, and in that it was a very private item.

Madam P gasped in shock and dismay as Eleni set it down next to the pocket watch. The designs matched. 

“Eleni…” Madam P whispered in wonder. Her hand crept forward, and Eleni extended her own until they were touching. Madam P’s eyes searched her face. “I feel I should have known all along. Of course. _She_ taught you to dance.”

Eleni nodded, but Matthew could see the tears in her eyes, and feel the pain building up inside her. He squeezed her other hand, now held in both of his, and willed her strength. Her eyes shifted to him, and she gave a weak smile. Matthew couldn’t even manage a smile, and he tried to hide the deep shock, dismay and loss that threatened to choke him. The edges of his vision were fuzzy.

“Eleni,” the Head finally spoke, his voice shaking. As Matthew looked to the man, he saw the source of the emotions he was feeling. Erik made to go on, but Madam P interrupted him, her voice choked.

“Erik, your hat.” The white-haired man blinked, then nodded, and placed the item back on his head. Matthew’s feelings took a sideways shift, and suddenly he was left with disbelief and chagrin. And a sense of awe as he realized just how powerful the Head was, to so completely take over the feelings of those around him, without even trying.

“Eleni,” the man began again, “I am your father.” Matthew didn’t feel any change in Eleni’s emotions at this declaration. When he looked at her, her face was a mask. For once, he didn’t think she was pushing her emotions down; the revelation had been so unexpected he suspected she didn’t know what to feel about it.

“I don’t understand how this is all possible,” Adam cut in, “but, with all due respect Head Lensherr, you know it is not as simple as that.” Adam’s tense tone suggested anything but respect. When Adam reached his hand towards the hand that Matthew was holding, the Head stood and grabbed Matthew’s father by the shirt. Pulling him up, he shoved Adam back roughly.

“No! You, who drugged and raped her mother, have no claim on her!” Matthew half stood to defend his father, but then froze and his jaw dropped open as he finally understood why Adam had said what he said. There was a chance he was Eleni’s father.

“If she is mine, I do! Kat would have seen that,” Adam hissed through clenched teeth. “What we had—”

“What you had you ruined! And you never understood her. Not really. You have no idea of what I lost when I lost her! I will have no challenges to our child!”

“You are wrong about that! I am the only other person here who understands! And you can’t stop me! It is my right!” Madam P tried to break up the heated exchange.

“Please, stop! We are here for Eleni, not to rehash the past! Erik, please try to put aside you anger. This situation is extremely complicated, and we need to proceed with delicacy!” Matthew sighed in relief as the Head released his father.

“I don’t want his help. Leave,” the Head snapped in reply, dismissing Adam. Then his head turned to Matthew, and the dancer didn’t know what to make of the disgust he saw there. “Both of you.”

Matthew locked eyes with the Head, knowing that was the last thing he would do.

“It’s pointless, now,” Madam P said, defeated. That was when Matthew realized Eleni was no longer at the table with them. In the heat of the moment, she had slipped away. He could sense that she had gone upstairs. 

Looking purposefully at the Head, he spoke.

“She’s upstairs. I’m going to go up to be with my girlfriend, Head Lensherr.” He ignored the man’s objections as he left the room. He was happy to let the adults work out the mess they had created.

Matthew found Eleni sitting on her bed, legs drawn up to her chest and held tight. Wetness shone on her cheeks.

“I’ve made a huge mistake, Matthew,” she said as he joined her, pulling her close. “I shouldn’t be here.”

“Things have gotten a bit effed up,” he conceded. “But you didn’t do that.” He was glad she didn’t bring up her parentage, and was trying not to think of the implications of Eleni being a Lensherr. Or a Summers. Nonetheless, they were starting to seep into his thoughts. 

Eleni laughed, bitterly, as she pulled away.

“It was better when you thought I was mad,” she said. He wanted to deny it, but knew he couldn’t.

“You have to admit how improbable it was. I still don’t understand how it can be. Everyone thinks she died. Why would he hide that she survived?” The Head had accepted Eleni as his daughter too quickly for him to have had undeniable proof that Katyana was dead. 

“I don’t know. I don’t care.” Eleni, sitting next to him, her posture almost sullen, seemed to have regained some of her composure. Some; he could feel her breaking apart at the edges, but she held on to her focus like a life raft. “Matthew, what will they do? What do you think they will do from this point on? Will they try to hide it?”

He stared at her. He had no idea, but doubted that scenario.

“I…I think it is unlikely. Katyana…your mother wasn’t a mutant.” He was working through the facts himself, recalling what his father had told him just days ago. “She couldn’t have been with the Head…but they only discovered what she was---"

“_Wasn’t_. What she wasn’t,” Eleni interjected sharply.

“…wasn’t,” Matthew amended to placate her, “until they were engaged. They were almost married. But…my dad…stopped it…”

“So, what the Head said is true?” Matthew didn’t answer, frozen in the glare of Eleni’s eyes. “My mom told me she was raped, remember?” she said tersely, finally looking away. He found he could only nod numbly in response. He stumbled on.

“He knows it was wrong, and at the time he thought he was helping her. He missed her so much, he wasn’t thinking straight...” Eleni turned to look at him he said all of this.

“So, you think it was ok?” Matthew started in shock.

“What?! No!” She knew how he felt about what Jenna had done to him, didn’t she?

“Then why are you trying to justify it?”

“I…I don’t think I was...”

“Trying to make it something else doesn’t help.” He knew that. “It happened. It changes how I think of him. The rest…” She shook her head, at a loss. Then she snapped back to her focus. “You know what: it doesn’t matter. None of it matters! It’s in the past.”

Eleni pushed off the bed to stand and began pacing. Matthew stayed seated, trying to find his feelings. He thought about how he had known his father had raped someone for years, and he had accepted the man. Then he thought about how he had felt in the aftermath of what Jenna had done to him. Since then, that feeling had faded, and things had mostly gone back to normal, and…he had wanted that. But now, forced to face the issue, he felt ill.

_It’s in the past._ Her words, echoed back from their fight so long ago. Then, they had given him some sort of relief; now they shoved the unresolved to fester in an insidious black hole.

There was a knock on the door.

“Eleni,” Madam P spoke. “You need to come down and speak with the Head. Adam had gone. Matthew, he asks that you leave as well.” Matthew stood and went to embrace his girlfriend. To his relief, she held him in return.

“I want Matthew to be here, Madam P.” There was a sigh from the other side of the door. “I will tell him,” she added, removing that responsibility from the dance teacher. She drew away from Matthew. “This is going to be a long night, but will you stay?” she whispered.

“Yes,” he replied, glad for one doubt-free answer. He kissed her and they left the room.

They made their way downstairs and entered the kitchen to find the Head standing and staring at the window that held an alcove garden at the back. He turned as they entered, and his face darkened.

“Head Lensherr, Matthew knows the most about me of anyone here. I want him to stay. Also,” Matthew felt her brace herself, “you must know that I will refuse a blood test. It is something I cannot compromise on. My genetic material belongs to me, and me alone.”

Matthew looked at her in surprise.

The Head’s stance had gone tense with her words, but his question was confused. 

“Why wouldn’t you want that, child?” Eleni shrugged.

“It is how I feel.” Her eyes locked with those of the man who was her father. Matthew found he had no doubts on the question of her parentage, and wondered if Eleni had come to the same conclusion.

The Head glanced at Matthew with distaste. Then he gestured to the table. They all sat.

“Eleni,” he began. “Did your mother tell you anything about me?” Eleni shook her head, and Matthew thought the Head slumped a bit. “You are my daughter, and I will do what I can to protect you and give you the life you deserve. But, you must realize, that my place as the Head of the Montagne may make that difficult. And…there are likely to be expectations placed upon you.”

Eleni looked to the side before speaking.

“They thought I was crazy when I said she was my mother. Matthew thought I was crazy,” she added, gesturing to him in order to emphasize her point. Matthew wished she hadn’t used that as an example. “Maybe, if we don’t do anything, that will be all it was: a remark made by a crazy Sewer Rat who didn’t know her place. And then I will fade into obscurity.”

The Head slowly sat back. Madam P reached for Eleni’s hands.

“Child, no! We can’t let you disappear, not after we have found you!” Guilt fluttered across the bond, but it was quickly followed by determination.

“Madam P—”

“Please, call me Nana.” Matthew thought Eleni would reject the request, but he was wrong.

“Nana,” Eleni said quietly. The Head covered his face with a hand, “you have been wonderful to me. But I have always believed I would leave here in the end. I don’t belong here.”

“Elle, you belong where you want to belong!” Matthew found himself saying fiercely. He found himself vowing that he would make it true.

“Matthew…,” she started quietly, but the Head interrupted.

“I’m sorry, Eleni. I’m sorry, but I cannot let you do that. And I will admit, my reasons are solely selfish. Though it may be the easier path, I will not let you disappear.” He leaned forward here, and Matthew was surprised to see pleading in his eyes and tears in his voice. “You are my daughter. I loved your mother, and I thought I had lost her. But it seems I have lost her again. I won’t lose you.”

Eleni’s eyes remained locked on her fathers’. Matthew felt her dismay keenly. Even as he wanted her to be anything but a Lensherr, he wondered at how she could dismiss the man’s impassioned plea.

“What happened, child? Where have you been all this time?” Madam P asked desperately. The Head spoke before Eleni could reply.

“I’ve worked it out, Natalya. You know that in her drug addled state, Katya ran into the tunnels. They always thought she was lost in there. However, she must have found a way out, and somehow been rescued.” His attention shifted back to Eleni. “You were raised by the Remnants, weren’t you?”

Matthew caught himself staring at the Head as he felt the whisper of a lie, and suddenly the man’s eyes were on him and full of wariness and warning. Dropping his own eyes to the table, Matthew made the connection that the shield the man wore wasn’t a full shield, and probably by design.

Eleni responded cautiously. 

“I was raised outside of the Montagne,” she confirmed.

“What happened, child? Why is your mother no longer with you?” the Head pressed.

“There was an attack,” Eleni said softly. “My mother died as a result. She had told me about the tunnels…” Only the last rang untrue, and again Matthew watched the Head. The man bowed his head in grief.

“The Remnants,” Madam P breathed. “Why do they continue to hang on to their pitiful existence? Non-mutants can live here, now. They should join us. To think, all this could have been avoided…” Erik Lensherr shook his head.

“That decree came after she was gone, Natalya. It wouldn’t have changed anything.” He reached out, and took the hand Madam P had been holding. “Eleni, I meant what I said. I will defend you, and try to give you the life you wish. But I want to _know_ you, and will not let that go.”

“I just want to live a quiet life,” Eleni objected quietly. Matthew bowed his head, knowing how impossible that was.

“I will try, my child.” The Head looked towards Natalya. “We will make the announcement tomorrow.”

“What?” Eleni’s eyes narrowed at that comment. The-man-who-would-be-her-father replied calmly.

“You are my daughter, and you have been, and continue to be, treated abominably. That will stop. Now.” Inadvertently, Matthew squeezed Eleni’s hand tight. This man was going to upend her life, but he was going to give her something Matthew had never been able to. He found his jealously won over any admiration or relief he might have felt.

Madam P nodded, her face tear-stained. 

“Yes!” she said, and if there was a vindictive edge to it, Matthew found it justified. 

“There is much I need to prepare. You do not need to be present for the announcement, Eleni, unless you wish to be. And, Natalya,” he turned his head to the older woman, a satisfied look on his face, “I believe you will have a full house for the remainder of the performances. And, they will not be your last.”

“Erik, that is all meaningless now. I have everything I want right here.” The tears arose anew as she said this, and Eleni pulled away from Erik Lensher and Matthew to move and hug her grandmother.

The Head took this moment to turn his attention to Matthew. Matthew met the man’s eyes, but wished he would just leave already. He knew Erik Lensherr didn’t think him fit match for his newfound daughter. The reasons were manifold, and had occasionally intruded on Matthew’s own thoughts since the moment he had come to believe that Erik Lensherr was indeed Eleni’s father. Matthew was determined to ignore them all in favor of his love for her.  
Neither man said anything through the tense moment, but the communication through their locked gazes was a near palpable thing.

As Eleni pulled away from her grandmother, Matthew broke the contest, and turned to her. 

“We should get some sleep.”

“Yes, you should get home,” the Head prompted.

“I’m staying here tonight. I promised Elle. She’s been through a lot.”

“Natalya, I’m not sure that is the wisest of ideas,” the Head changed his tact.

Madam P sighed out in exhaustion.

“Erik, you may be right, but my brain is no longer working. I will not fight it. Please, it may be a mistake, but let us start worrying about all that tomorrow.”

The man looked away and tapped the table, clearly not happy with the situation.

“I suppose it adds nothing new,” he conceded, and Matthew bristled wondering if the man would have actually command him to leave.

The Head stood, and came around the table to Eleni, who stood as well. He took her hand.

“I know this is a lot for you, Eleni. And things will change, that is unavoidable, though I will not forget my promise to you. I will keep you updated via Natalya, but if things go well, I hope to have you visit me at the Residence in the next couple of days. To show you…,” the words hung there for a moment and Matthew found his brain completing the sentence: _…to show you the life you could have._ The life of a princess. “There are so many things to show you,” the man finished instead.

As much as Matthew wanted a better life for Eleni, he hoped she rejected that one.

Eleni nodded, but said nothing. The man finally left.

Madam P looked at the two of them, then came over and took Eleni’s face in her hands.

“I can see her, now. And him. It is clear on your face who your father is, now that I know. And your eyes…” The teacher drew her granddaughter into her arms again. “Oh, Eleni, I am so glad you have been here this past year, and that we learned your truth. Did you know sooner?”

Eleni shook her head.

“Not until I saw the picture.”

Madam P nodded sadly. 

“I wish I had never put it away. I will show all of them to you tomorrow. But now, it is time to sleep.” She looked between the two young people, and almost said something more. Then she shook her head and, wishing them goodnight, went up the stairs.

Matthew gathered Eleni into his arms, and was glad when she melded to him. He sensed that she had been pushing things away as the reality of the situation had sunk in, and had worried she might extend that to him. On the contrary, she clung to him.

“Matthew, this is crazy!” she whispered. “Is there anything I should know?”

He didn’t want to talk about those things now.

“There are things, Elle. But I don’t see a difference in talking about them now or talking about them tomorrow. We have tonight. Let’s forget it all for now.”

She looked up at him, and embraced his willing ignorance as quickly as she had embraced him. She nodded.

“Let’s go to bed.” 

**ERIK**

Erik Lensherr paced while his advisors buzzed in the background.

“They must have made it to one of the Rabbit ‘outposts.’ You know the ones where they push people out when they no longer fit into the burrows.”

A smatter of laughter lightened the mood for the 5 other women and men in the room. Erik ignored it. 

It was their second meeting since he had alerted them to the existence of his daughter. At the first, held directly after he had left Natalya’s, they had decided to release the news to the morning papers. Erik had firmly tamped down on worries about doing so prior to having a blood test confirm that she was his daughter; he hadn’t wanted stories questioning her mental stability to dominate, and had bet that this startling piece of information would dilute that libel.

The decision made, he had gone home for a couple hours of non-sleep, only to join with the same people in the early morning to see the success of their revelation. As hoped, all articles about his daughter had hedged and none outright cast her as mad. Then he and his advisors had started digging into the wretched details of this entire situation. 

Erik could barely stand it anymore. Thankfully, they were almost done.

“My lord, we will need to ask her exactly how she got back into the Montagne. It means there is a breech somewhere.”

“We will get to that. There is no rush,” Erik responded, clasping his hands behind his back.

The four other pairs of eyes flickered up at him. It was not the first time they had asked about this issue.

“I will not press her,” he clarified. “There is no evidence that anyone else has breeched the mountain, and she had information from her mother. It is not an urgent matter.” Reluctant nods dominated the room, and Erik took in the solemn faces that hid mixed emotions. The advisors murmured amongst themselves.

“In spite of her background, she has held herself very well, Head Lensherr.” It was meant to be a compliment, one that would please him. One that would speak to her potential.

“Yes, it seems she takes after her mother in that,” he countered. He stopped by a glassed-in alcove that held a small garden within, and let his stature show that his patience was thin. His mind was already on other things.

A daughter.

He had begun the meeting last night with a declaration that he had discovered a daughter he had never known he had. While his advisors had been quick to point out the doubts the public would have, doubts relating to her parentage, they hadn’t stopped his wish to make the truth known as soon as possible. Whether they themselves believed it or not, he didn’t care.

“My lord Head, you must be careful what you say about the pass card. All evidence points to it not being hers, which is in itself a crime. If, as you say…”

“We have gone over this,” he snapped in return. He knew the script to stick to, but also knew that the advisor had re-breeched the topic only to question what he so adamantly insisted: whether she was even be his? 

But she was his daughter. He knew it in his soul.

Existing, growing up without him even knowing. His hand gripped the frame of the glass enclosure as his despair at that knowledge momentarily overwhelmed him. Then he shook his head: he would make it right.

“About the Summers’ issues…are you certain you wish to take no action, make no statement?” Erik’s hand tightened on the frame to the point he felt it should snap. 

_His daughter.___

_ __ _

_ __ _

“No. We will not legitimize his delusions in any manner,” he snapped. 

“A genetic test would clarify things,” a firm voice that he normally appreciated pressed, “_and_ allow us to start laying groundwork behind the scenes! Tracy has built up considerable support in the military.” 

“No!” This time he made no excuses: it was his daughter’s wish, and one small thing he could do to prove himself to her. 

“My lord,” that same voice was now tinged with weariness. Shonda Grey. Out of respect for her, Erik forced himself to calm. “We must meet this head on. The public will see considerable doubt in her parentage.” Erik gritted his teeth. “First, in the fact that she was born outside the Montagne: while her possession of Katyana’s locket is impressive, but it could have been stolen. This could all be a set up. People will want her questioned.” 

“She is my daughter,” was his only response. 

“And then there is the issue of Adam Summers! We cannot ignore that!” the woman continued. Erik actually rounded on her this time. 

“She is _my daughter_,” he repeated, his voice rising again. 

“Lord Lensherr, we must run a genetic test. If it comes back confirming you as her father, it will clear up both of these issues!" 

“And if we don’t, someone else will. They’ll get a fingernail clipping or something! You must realize that, sir!” Jason DaCosta interjected. 

“There will be no genetic test.” 

“Head Lensherr, do not forget the rumors that she is a _sans_! This would clarify that situation as well.” This urgent plea came from Daven Munroe. Their desperation was rising. 

“The Lensherr line had never produced a _sans_,” he snapped. It was true: it had consistently produced mutants that were powerful, if not of the abilities people might have hoped. Himself and his niece Tracy were living proof of that. Anyway, if it was the case that Eleni was flat, there were ways to manage it, and everyone in the room knew that. 

His advisors fell quiet at that statement, another attempt failed. Over the years, he had rarely insisted on claiming his all-encompassing power, but in this he would. Anything to fulfill his daughter’s wishes. And bring her into the life she should have always known. 

“Here, my lord,” Leshana Brown extended a newspaper to the Head with a smile, an olive branch after testing his temper. “The Observer has given a raving review of her performance.” 

“The Observer doesn’t try hard to hide its Xavierist leanings,” Grey muttered, not as invested in rekindling their leader’s goodwill. Erik disregarded the correct comment and took the paper. 

_ For those who sat out the performance last night, it was truly your loss. This young ballerina rewrote the role of Odette. _

_People think of the swan princess as a tragic figure: sublime, patient, able to hold on to a delicate thread of hope in the face of desolation. Rarely do they think of what being trapped in confinement such as hers would in actuality do to a person. So long as Odette is delicately beautiful, they are happy. _

_Yet Elayni Pietrovich-Jones shows us the other side of that predicament, and gives us her interpretation of what such a heinous imprisonment would do to one’s mental well-being. She revealed to us a being of desperation and a determination that is tenuous at best: woven throughout her performance are hints of madness, reminiscent of Giselle. _

_And it is only right: the princess was caught in Rothbart’s spell, as suddenly and helplessly as being thrown into a wild river. Who could survive such an upheaval unchanged? Who would not despair? The truth shines throughout Miss Pietrovich-Jones’ solo performances, which are as hard to watch as they are beautiful. _

_Then, the prince appears, promising safety and stability, played charming and stoic by Matthew Summers. His performance was an equal to that of his partner’s, though he only begins to approach her exquisite pain towards the end. Because the prince, of course, is swirling just as helplessly in that same maelstrom, and by the time he learns to apply some control and use his strength to move to the shore, it is too late. _

_ Matthew Summers convincingly sells us on the prince’s grief, yet in the aftermath of the performance, it was Eleni Jones’ final portrayal that haunted me. The reason why: her Odette never truly believed that she would be saved. Somehow, even as she fights when Rothbart pulls her away with him, on some level she withdrew towards what she had long accepted as inevitable: it was where she belonged._

Erik dropped the paper to the table, disgusted, even as he agreed that his daughter’s performance had been unparalleled. The irony wasn’t lost on him that it was the most left-leaning of opinions who dared to be so bold in their doubts about their new princess. Even the Xavierists hesitated at a blatant challenge to the status quo. 

_ _ “They cast aspersions on her mental state,” he commented baldly, not mentioning the other things they suggested between the lines. His advisors shifted uncomfortably._ _

_ _ Erik decided the meeting was done. They had touched on the most important issues already, and his advisors were now only attempting to dissuade him on topics he would not be dissuaded. He turned towards the door, confirming the most important of items as he went._ _

_ _ “I will be alerted immediately when investigations into her pass card are initiated?” _ _

_ _ “Yes sir.”_ _

_ _ “And the investigations will be blocked until I say they may proceed?”_ _

_ _ “Yes sir.”_ _

_ _ “And all pertinent materials from the media, including negatives, will be collected and delivered to me personally?”_ _

_ _ “Yes sir.” He nodded. “Then I am done here. Shonda, you will present the information as we have phrased it to the Council.”_ _

_ _ “Sir, this would be best coming from you.” He shook his head._ _

_ _ “I must focus on my daughter. We are done here.”_ _

_ _ Erik made his way to his covered transport, and mulled during the short ride back to the Lensherr residence. He tried to focus on the issues that would impact his and Eleni’s futures, but his heart kept retreating to the anguish of the previous night’s revelation: that she had lived all these years without him knowing. Worse: that for this past year or so, he had been staring right at her that whole time. _ _

_ _ A picture of a young woman swathed from head to toe in mismatched dark clothing, about to be embraced by a handsome young man, flashed through his mind, and this time he did his best to cut the young man out of the image._ _

_ _ Failing, he dismissed it in favor of her solemn face at the truth telling he had done for Natalya. Though it was irrational, guilt mingled with the fury that that incident stirred in him. There was no way he could have known she was his daughter, and he was glad he had been able to step in to give her justice, but the small victory of the truth which has once been a source of satisfaction, now plagued him with feelings of inadequacy._ _

_ _ The vehicle pulled into the garage of the Lensher Residence, and Erik disembarked and made his way up two stories to the living quarters. His eyes raked the walls, floors and furniture looking for any flaw, but his housekeepers had done well. Though Eleni had been reluctant, she had agreed to an official visit to the residence for lunch. He wanted everything to be perfect._ _

_ _ However, the residence was not, as he had hoped, empty._ _

_ _ “You are bringing her to the house? You ruin our name and erode our power even further! Not to mention you lay threat to my daughter’s claim!”_ _

_ _ “It is your choice to see it that way, Wanda. I simply want to get to know _my_ daughter.” Erik responded to his sister’s accusations in an even tone when he came across her in the kitchen._ _

_ _ “Don’t play coy with me, Erik! Everything I have worked for is now threatened! When I returned to the residence after Damion’s death, you assured me of my position, and that one of my children would become the next Head. Now you undermine that with no thought for me or them! Whatever happened to ‘I’m one of the few people in this place you can trust.’ For all that you cursed Damion for his manipulations and power grabs, he never pretended to be something he wasn’t.”_ _

_ _ “Oh, so you forgive him for hitting you and calling you filth because he was just as vicious with everyone else?” Erik shot back, reminding his sister of the hell she had lived. _ _

_ _ Her face went purple._ _

_ _ “Don’t change the subject,” she hissed, sidestepping her own ugly past. Erik, overtired and desperate, for once didn’t hold back._ _

_ _ “You lost a child because of him, and nearly your own life, and now you are defending him! Don’t forget, I have _felt_ your grief and anger at what happened! And now I have a child I thought I would never have. I will not give up the chance to know her and offer her the life she deserves,” Erik yelled, tempted to remove his hat so that his sister would know just how deeply he felt that. He didn’t because it would probably make her pass out._ _

_ _ Wanda went on the offensive._ _

_ _ “She’s nothing but a sewer rat, and probably not even yours. They’ll never accept her. If you go ahead with pretending she is one of us, I will be moving out as soon as I can,” Wanda hissed, turning and storming out of the room._ _

_ _ “Fine!” Erik yelled from behind, for once not concerned at his lack of a comeback, just as he wasn’t concerned about Wanda’s threat of creating a political rift within the Montagne. He was just relieved that the woman was gone._ _

_ _ Alone, finally, Erik took off his hat, and breathed, calming his anger. In favor of Wanda’s fury, he recalled Travis’ excitement from that morning. The boy had argued that he should also get a day off of school, as his newfound cousin had, but Erik, and his mother, has been united in their insistence that he go, and they had prevailed. Erik wondered if that had been a final moment of unity between himself and his sister, though their motives had been entirely differently. Whereas Wanda had not wanted to lend any legitimacy to Eleni’s possible parentage, Erik had simply wanted some time with his daughter, as free of distractions as he could manage. In that, he had gotten his wish._ _

_ _ Making a quick tour of the mansion, he was happy to see that all of it had been prepared as he had requested. The household chef came and left, leaving behind trays of finger foods, and then they were there. _ _

_ _ Eleni entered slowly, while Natalya immediately went up to Erik and opened her arms for an embrace._ _

_ _ “She’s nervous, but give her some time,” the older woman whispered. He smiled at her thoughtfulness as she went back to collect her granddaughter, who was hovering by the door._ _

_ _ “Please sit,” he said, gesturing towards a couch, “and eat,” he added. Natalya smiled graciously, but as Erik seated himself he saw Eleni look suspiciously at the elaborate plates. _ _

_ _ “Eleni, I know this must seem strange. It is a surprising, and difficult situation, in many ways. I want you to know, however, that you have my support throughout all of it.” _I’m looking forward to getting to know you,_ he thought, but was able to hold back. _ _

_ _ The young woman nodded, slightly, but said nothing. Her eyes moved to take in the room, and Erik kept one eye on her as Natalya stuck up conversation to soften the atmosphere._ _

_ _ “Eleni and I spent the morning looking at the photo albums…”_ _

_ _Erik observed his daughter discretely as he listened to Natalya, responding when it seemed necessary. At some point, the younger woman got up and circled the well-appointed room. She was dressed in a white button-down shirt, and wore a dark blue jacket over it. The sleeves of the jacket were rolled up halfway, though the shirt was kept long to her wrists. The front of the shirt was left hanging loose over a skirt that matched the jacket and ended just above her knees. Her feet were clad in soft canvas shoes, also dark blue with white edging. A suitable outfit for a Lensherr daughter; she dressed well his aides had informed him. Fashionable, but not flashy.  
Natalya had paused, glancing back at her granddaughter._ _

_ _ “I think she was a bit scandalized by some of the things her mother got up to,” the woman whispered, leaning forward. _ _

_ _ “The Remnants raised her conservative, then,” he responded, encouraging the story that he was fairly certain was a lie._ _

_ _ “I would not have expected it from Katyana, but she had gone through a lot.” Eric nodded. “Eleni still won’t talk about what happened to her, other that there was an attack.”_ _

_ _ Eric looked down for a moment at that comment, and blinked back tears. He, too, wanted to know how she had really passed. It felt like a sort of punishment for his failure to search harder after he learned what really happened the night she had disappeared._ _

_ _Looking up, he saw that Eleni had paused before an ornate silver plate with six shallow dips pressed into it. The solid silver piece was set out on a side table, temporarily on display. She extended her hand towards it, as if she was trying to read it with her fingers._ _

_ _ “It’s a seder plate,” he provided, standing and walking over to her. She started in surprise, and, pulling her hand away, looked back at him._ _

_ _ “It’s beautiful. What is it for?” Erik blinked._ _

_ _ “For Passover. It’s just about to start.”_ _

_ _ “Passover?”_ _

_ _ “It’s a Jewish holiday. I’m—we’re Jewish.” _ _

_ _ At this revelation, Eleni simply looked at him. Everything stilled, as the innocent piece of information was suddenly and simultaneously pregnant with, and bereft of meaning._ _

_ _ “OK,” she replied, then moved on in her inspection of the room, and time started again. Erik made the logical conclusion that Katyana had been unable to practice the religion. Not a surprise given where he suspected she had ended up._ _

_ _ Eleni stopped by the floating staircase, and gazed up. Erik spoke into the lull in the conversation._ _

_ _ “Natalya, let me give the two of you a tour. You’ve never been upstairs, correct?”_ _

_ _ With that, the small group ascended the stairs. Erik pointed out a couple pieces of art, and Natalya peeked into the grand bathroom found on the landing above the living room. When they branched off into the hall that contained private quarters, Erik made for the second door on the right._ _

_ _ “And, Eleni, you should consider this room yours.” He opened the door, and they entered the antechamber._ _

_ _ It was richly decorated, just like the rest of the residence, with sofa and matching chairs done in jacquard, and ornate matching coffee and side table. _ _

_ _“That door leads to the bedroom with the en suite bathroom. Would you like to see it?”_ _

_ _Eleni declined to Erik’s disappointment, and they exited back to the hallway, and from there to the back staircase. He showed her the audio-video room and the library, then what used to be the formal dining room.  
“I had it refloored and the mirrors installed when your mother and I got engaged,” he said, as she brushed her feet lightly across the smooth wood that adorned the floor on her way to the wall that was one large window, found across from the mirrors. There was a curtain that could be pulled down to provide a solid background, better for when a dancer wanted to use the mirror to check their form. It was raised now, however, and looked down onto the elaborate garden at the back of the manor._ _

_ _“Katyana love it,” Natalya said beside him, her voice thick. He found his own throat close, as he watched his daughter find one aspect of the grand residence that she clearly enjoyed._ _

_ _From there they went through to the elevated casual dining area, the kitchen and back into the living room. Natalya excused herself to use the bathroom, and Erik seized the moment._ _

_ _“Eleni, come here. There’s something I’d like to show you.” She looked at him without answering, but followed as he moved to the door under the floating staircase and entered the outer door to the study. _ _

_ _While he triggered the inner door, however, she stayed where she was. Bending down, Eric picked up a wedge, and propped that door open._ _

_ _“I’ll leave the outer door unlocked,” he explained, then demonstrated. Her eyes cautious, she finally followed him in._ _

_ _Within, she stared._ _

_ _“Is it ok to bring me in here?” she asked, and again began an inspection of the room._ _

_ _“You’re a Lensherr. And it provides us some privacy,” he replied, wanting to be honest. In truth, he wished he had hours with her, to ask about all the years of her, and her mother’s, life he would never know. For now, he had to use any time he could grasp for only the most urgent matters._ _

_ _“Eleni, where did you grow up?”_ _

_ _She stopped and her eyes snapped to his._ _

_ _“It’s ok,” he tried to reassure her. “I won’t tell anyone. But if what I suspect is true, then I need to know.”_ _

_ _“Where do you think I grew up?” she countered. He shook his head._ _

_ _“You first.” She stared at him, and he knew she was weighing the scene: who had the power and what her non-compliance could mean._ _

_ _“The Citadel,” she finally responded, and Erik winced at the damage he had done to their nascent relationship. It was necessary though. He started pacing, thinking._ _

_ _“I suspected as much.”_ _

_ _“Why?”_ _

_ _“Your mother fled in an automatic plane. The wreckage of that plane was found over a thousand miles from here. We thought the crash had killed her, but the site was also just outside the area the Citadel usually patrols.” He approached her, and waited until he had her full attention. “You must tell no one the truth. I have been pressing the story that you grew up at a Remnant outpost. The outposts are very isolated, with relatively small populations, so there is room to build a narrative for you. Saying that you don’t wish to speak of it will get you by for now.” Until the others, who knew about the crash and assumed that Katyana had died there, started asking questions. First, however, they would require genetic confirmation that Eleni was his daughter, and her own reticence on that topic promised to assist in delaying that effort._ _

_ _“Why does it matter if I grew up in the Citadel?” Eleni asked._ _

_ _Erik paused before responding. Could he tell her that it would taint her position as a possible future ruler of the Montagne? An alternative to Tracy that many would support, himself included? _ _

_ _Not yet, he decided. Nonetheless, he was glad he had not had time to act on Tracy’s request from the other night, which would have served to reaffirm her place as the future head. Eleni’s appearance put everything up in the air.  
“People want to forget the Citadel exists, except when they want somewhere to place blame for what ails them. I prefer to keep it that way.” It wasn’t a lie: the less the population was reminded of the existence of that atrocious city, the safer the populations in both locations were. It was perhaps the one thing that himself and the combined political and military establishments agreed upon._ _

_ _Eleni had come to a stop in front of the glass display case. He went to stand beside her, happy for a change of subject._ _

_ _ “The legendary shield,” he murmured as he joined her there. She looked at him confused._ _

_ _ “Shield? This is Magneto’s helm, right?” _ _

_ _ “It’s a replica,” he clarified. “The original was lost. But that original, wherever it ended up, was made by Magneto himself and it was a telepathic shield, that’s what I was talking about. This one has no shielding; it’s too valuable to utilize on a display piece.” Eleni had gone still at these words._ _

_ _ “A telepathic shield?” she murmured. Erik considered that her knowledge of history would be severely skewed and often incorrect. He made an effort to begin to mend that situation._ _

_ _ “That’s the reason he created it. His greatest friend and greatest enemy, Charles Xavier, was a telepath. So, Erik Lensherr the Ist discovered the combination of materials that blocked out that ability.”_ _

_ _ “What happened to the original?” she asked as she gazed at the object, curiosity creeping out from her._ _

_ _ “No one knows. Some thought it was buried with Magneto, but…that has been proven false.” The fact that the man’s grave had been exhumed in search of the coveted item was not widely known. “Please don’t spread that story around.”_ _

_ _ “I’m very good at keeping secrets,” Eleni assured him, and her confidence in that matter was both reassuring and concerning._ _

_ _“Eleni? Erik?” Natalya’s voice drifted in through the door._ _

_ _“We should return to the living room,” Eric prompted, disappointed that their time was at an end. Not that he was looking forward to broaching the next topic on his list: the issue of her problematic boyfriend._ _


	35. Chapter 34

**MATTHEW**

Mattthew felt like the known world had been turned on its head, and everyone was holding their breath.

Could she really be a Lensherr? If yes, what exactly did that mean?

He himself had been struggling with the latter question. His father, however, was lingering on the former: Adam had been insufferable to be around, as the man alternated between moping and manic bursts of energy, while he wrestled with his own role in her creation as contrasted with the thought that she could be his daughter. Matthew had pointedly avoided the topic all morning.

He was currently up in his room, obsessing over what might be happening with Eleni at the Lensherr residence. And what it meant for him. For them.

It wasn’t good.

Not wanting to fall into the pattern his father was stuck in, Matthew picked up another paper from the pile besides him, to read more stupid comments.

_The improbability that this child could be the daughter of the late Katyana Pietrovich, much less a relative of anyone else in the Montagne, is mind-blowing. Any consideration of it should be considered a sign of madness._

Matthew found himself thinking towards the staunchly Superiorist individual who had penned the opinion column. It was more satisfying reading those, as the Loyalists and Xavierists were exercising their ability to not quite commit to any opinion to a laughable extent. 

Matthew, for his part, had gone so far as to coming to the conclusion that her hair was white, completing the elusive but highly desired pairing and cementing her position in the ruling family. It made complete sense: a young dark-skinned person with white hair would never have been able to walk around the Citadel and keep their life. There, a head of white hair was more than cause enough for murder.

Finding some motivation through reinforcing his opinion, Matthew threw the paper to the floor. Then he found himself digging his hands into his own hair in frustration.

His girlfriend, who he loved more than he could say, was a Lensherr, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he couldn’t be with a Lensherr.

There had never been a question of him being with someone from the ruling family before, so he had never considered it. But now, insidious whispers from his knowledge of ‘how things worked’ in the Montagne told him it was an improbable thing. Even without the scandal brewing between his father and the Head, or the fact that he had ‘gone off the rails’ as many called his affiliation to the DownMountain, he knew he was fighting against the social tide when it came to who a Lensherr could date with any thought of a permanent attachment.

Lensherr’s normally paired with people from the political or military spheres. The Summers were neither. Though Matthew had heard mention that Adam’s mother, Candace, had dabbled a bit in both, Adam had said it had been more for the thrill of it than any actual desire to make power moves. Regardless, Adam had undone any of the progress his mother had made, and then some.

On top of that, Matthew was from the Wastelands.

_But Katyana_, his mind whispered, yet he resisted the urge to find hope there. He recognized now, that the Head and the fabled ballerina had been as odd a pairing as himself and Eleni, and they had gotten engaged. On the other hand, look what had happened them in the end: there had been no attempts to create a mythical mutant ability for Katyana, as it was whispered occasionally happened to _sans_ who were born into families with wealth and power. As would no doubt happen with Eleni, once she was confirmed as Erik Lensherr’s daughter.

No matter how he sliced it, none of it boded well for their relationship. 

A moan escaped his lips as he felt that Eleni was already slipping from his grasp.

“Mattie!” Adam called from downstairs. “Greystone’s here.”

Thankful for a distraction, Matthew jumped up from where he was sitting on his bed and fled his room.

The lawyer had offered to stop by their house to discuss the latest developments in regards to G’s case. In light of the revelations about Eleni, and tonight’s performance, they had accepted with relief.

A few minutes later, he was again seated across from the lawyer, listening to the solution for the one problem in his life he could fix.

“It is actually quite straightforward. Matthew, they want a commitment of one year from you. After that, if you should wish to continue a military career, you are of course welcome,” Matthew stayed silent at that observation, and Greystone glanced at him briefly, “but otherwise you will be released. It is a standard military stint, by the way. Basic training, drills, following orders…”

“Will they ask me to use my powers?” he cut in, though he knew the answer he’d probably get.

“Well, you know that there are many restrictions on the use of telepathy, and the military is bound by them except in the most extreme of cases. And, anyone they had you use your powers on would have to be a willing participant.”

Matthew nodded impatiently. There was nothing useful in that answer.

“And G and Bright?”

“Mattie, calm down,” Adam said in a voice that was meant to be soothing, but was more irritating. Matthew just looked at Greystone.

“Both completely free from their current military contracts.” Finally, Matthew found something that brought a measure of relief.

“And you reviewed our standard contract for the vineyard?” Greystone nodded to Adam’s question.

“I have a couple minor recommendations, to make.”

“And they will drop their petition to go before the Council?” Matthew asked, bringing them back to what really mattered.

Greystone nodded again as he spoke. “Yes, however, the balance may be changing for you. It might be wise to wait until things settle at the Lensherr Residence before making your decisions. There is no rush.”

“I don’t want to wait,” Matthew stated. He wanted something that could be resolved in a satisfactory manner. Now. While he didn’t relish the thought of being beholden to the military for any period of time, he knew he’d be better treated than either of his DownMountain friends. And it might help his situation with Eleni.

“That’s obvious, Mattie, but his suggestion is wise,” Adam irritatingly cut in. “Greystone, could we set up a time to meet shortly after the ballet is complete?”

“You have two more performances, correct? We were there last night, by the way.” The man looked to Matthew. “That was a commanding, and moving performance.”

For a moment, pride broke through Matthew’s other sundry emotions, and he smiled.

“Thank you. I’d like to meet tomorrow. With the contracts ready to go. We’ll have to send Bright’s down, but G will be up here tomorrow, and the day after.” Hulio was giving another performance Sunday night, and as tomorrow night’s performance was on a Holday, G was able to come to both.

Adam sighed, and Greystone shrugged.

“I can do that.” 

“OK,” Adam relented. “But remember, Mattie, we don’t have to sign anything yet. There is no need to rush.”

“Except that we need to get to the theater,” came Matthew’s response. While Adam checked his watch, Matthew thanked the lawyer for his time, and got up to go collect his bag. When he returned, Adam was showing the man out.

Closing the door, he turned to his son, caution in his eyes.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Matthew headed off any further discussion. “I need to put this all aside so I can perform tonight.”

Adam couldn’t argue with that, and they were silent all the way to the theater.

Once there, Matthew immediately sought out Eleni, and held her tight for a long minute. The rest of the world fell away. She finally pushed back and looked up at him.

“How did it go?” he asked, hoping she would be unimpressed with her visit to the Lensherr Residence.

“It was fancy,” was all she said.

“And…did you meet them?”

“Just…him.” She smiled ruefully. “I wish Travis had been there.”

Matthew gave a small laugh.

“Travis is your cousin. I hadn’t thought about that.”

“The silver lining,” Eleni muttered. Then she tossed her hands helplessly. “It’s all so crazy. I don’t know what to think.”

“Well, then, what you say we forget about it for now?” He took heart in the firm nod he received in response to his suggestion.

After one more tight embrace, they went to prepare. The energy back stage was cautious and frantic at the same time. No one knew how to act towards Eleni, and everyone was thinking about the things they had done over the past year. Matthew brushed off several apologies, saying they all just needed to focus on the performance. He had no sympathy for these people; if they had just treated himself and his girlfriend with the barest decency that any human being deserved, none of them would be in this situation.

In the end, everyone got on with the performance, and while it didn’t have the subtly of the previous night’s, it was charged with energy and near perfect. The full house they danced before showed their appreciation with a full 20-minute standing ovation that led to three curtain calls. 

It all felt fake to Matthew.

That night he stayed at Madam P’s again, much to his father and the dance teacher’s dismay.

“Mattie, people are already realizing about that you stayed last night. I think leaving a bit of space there will take some pressure off both of you,” his father said, trying to dissuade him.

“And a little delicacy can go along way down the road,” Madam P interjected, with far more logic. That didn’t make any difference. He looked at Eleni.

“I’d like you to stay.” 

So, he did.

The next day, the day of the final performance, Eleni’s refusal to submit a sample for a genetic test was the talk of the UpMountain. Some used her intransigence as a reason she should be denied access to the Lensherr legacy. Others, however, had come to the same conclusion as Matthew: her lineage was clear upon her face. One newspaper featured an opinion column where the author had gone back and found the likelihood of the Summer’s line producing blue eyes nearly impossible. They suggested a review of Adam’s DNA to confirm that the recessive gene that made Eleni’s eyes possible was absent.

“But then there will be an argument for a random mutation,” Jae muttered, as she, Matthew and Adam sat at the table just after breakfast. It was the first time they had had a meal together since Solstice, and their first breakfast together in nine months. 

Matthew suspected it was a peace offering from his sister, but it was given stiffly: she still hadn’t addressed him directly, and he had no plans to speak to her given that she was only here because suddenly his girlfriend, whom Jae had insulted in the most disgusting of ways, was either a Lensherr or a Summers. If she was the latter, then she also had a biological claim on the vineyard that trumped their own. Matthew suspected that concern over that possibility had driven his sister to show some filial piety.

“Mattie is seriously considering a military contract, Jae.” Matthew gritted his teeth at his father’s comment. He hadn’t wanted to bring that up. Thankfully the man didn’t explain the background. “Do you have any recommendations?”

“Really?” his sister choked slightly on her surprise.

“Dad, it’s not like that, and you know it,” Matthew growled. “I don’t want any advice.”

For once, Jae stayed quiet.

She left shortly after, and Adam started on Matthew again.

“Mattie, there’s no rush.” Matthew shook his head.

“Dad, it’s a year. It will be done before I know it. And this will keep Bright and G safe, and make this stuff go away!” The comment was born of his frustration of all that was imploding in his life. It was also driven by that small voice in the back of his mind that whispered that by going a military route, he could be bettering his stance as a future consort for Eleni.

“When is Greystone going to be here? I’m meeting Elle at 12:30.”

Matthew and Eleni were going for lunch together, and it was likely going to be the first abuse free meal they enjoyed in public. Even that thought failed to assuage Matthew’s discontent, however. Eleni was spending the morning with her father at an art gallery, as Matthew had intended to do with her. Someday. There had been no time. He didn’t like that the man had beat him to it.

Eleni had tried to include him, but the Head had been firm in his request it only be herself and Madam P. However, Erik Lensherr had fortunately been unable to do lunch because of a council meeting regarding Eleni.

After his father informed him that it was another half hour until the lawyer arrived, Matthew again retreated to his room to wait, and after a bit of half-hearted cleaning, the floor was littered with papers now, he collapsed on his bed. The breath-holding in the Montagne was starting to ease, but with no clear information regarding Eleni’s parentage, there was a restless energy about.

“Mattie!” Matthew bolted to the door and down the stairs.

“Done,” Adam said, as he vigorously signed the second document Greystone had just led him and Matthew through. He hadn’t really needed to, it was a fairly standard contract of employment for the vineyard, but there had been a couple clauses entered binding the individuals in question even closer to them.

All for their safety.

“So, we own them now.” Matthew said quietly in response, deeply bothered by the action they had taken. Adam looked at him.

“Mattie, it’s not that different from our other workers.” Matthew shook off his father’s oblivious comment, and stared down at the contract that bound Bright and G to the vineyard. 

In contrast, they had been careful to make his own commitment to the military as non-binding as possible, and the military had been accommodating in that effort. When Matthew had suggested doing the same for his friends, Greystone had repeatedly impressed upon them that any gap would give the military leverage. While the military had agreed to drop the accusations against G, and release him and Bright from their current contracts, they hadn’t been able to get a promise that the military wouldn’t pursue them in the future.

“These will be sent down to the individuals this afternoon?” G had indicated he would sign it as soon as it could get to him.

“Yes, I have a courier set up. But first, Matthew must sign his agreement.” The dark-skinned man placed a thin packet in front of the dancer.

“Matthew, here is the military contract. Why don’t you take some time to review it.”

“Your team did?”

“Yes, and we found nothing untoward. However, it would be wise for you to review it as well.”

“I will,” Matthew assured, as he reached for the pen. “Later.” With a quick jot, his fate was sealed.

“Then, the military lawyer asked me to let you know, they would like you to come by tomorrow for registration purposes. They will also reach out to the university today to put a hold on your studies there.” 

Matthew nodded impatiently.

“They’ll get in touch with me, I trust?” he clarified, sourly. Greystone grunted.

“As soon as I let them know this is signed, no doubt.”

Matthew gritted his teeth, then went to get ready for his lunch with Eleni.

Two hours later, they sat together at a small table at the edge of the Top of the Mountain, nearby the gallery Eleni had been at with her father. She had enjoyed the visit, but confided that it was stiff and formal, and she would have enjoyed it far more had Matthew been there.

“So, what is the news about G and Bright?” she asked, changing the subject. “G messaged me that they are going to be picking grapes.

“We are hiring them.” Matthew replied, though he didn’t go into the details. He didn’t want the rest of their time to be spent talking about G and Bright’s newfound slavery, or his own unappealing commitment. And his reasons for doing it. He shifted in his seat. 

“That’ll be enough to keep the military away?”

“There’s some other stuff, but it’s still in the works,” Matthew hedged. 

“When will it all be done?” 

“Tomorrow. Or the day after.” Eleni seemed disappointed. “I’ll let you know as soon as I can,” he promised. 

In response, she reached over and gripped his hand.

“Matthew,” she said, her eyes were intense, and her love for him was suddenly poignant.

He smiled back, but didn’t say anything. He did grip her hand tightly in return.

“We’ll get through this,” he finally mustered, and he thought it sounded confident. “It’ll all be ok.”

“What should we do tomorrow?” she asked, eager. “Perhaps we could go to the vineyard? Get away from all this.” The request took Matthew by surprise, and he wished he could acquiesce. Of course, he already had something he had to do tomorrow.

“Maybe the day after,” he found himself repeating. “There’s an errand I have to run tomorrow. An administrative thing. I’m not sure how long it will take, but I’ll message you when it is done.”

Her disappointment was keen, but she didn’t object.

“Will you stay tonight?” she tried again. 

To Matthew’s horror his first thought was that he wished she hadn’t asked. Feelings he thought had been banished edged his stomach. 

“Not tonight,” he said, making his tone apologetic. “After all this stuff with G and Bright is settled, then I will,” he said, trying to ease her disappointment, but to little avail. Matthew sighed, and told himself they would work it out later.

Shortly after, they were heading to the theater for their final performance together.

**ELENI**

Eleni surveyed the audience in front of her. She had no illusions about who they were. They had swallowed their doubts and hedged their bets to come see her. Some no doubt imagined themselves sudden friends, some suspect admirers; all were ignorant enemies. She wanted to laugh, for their attempts at conciliation and civility were so misplaced. Didn’t they know she was unable to forgive?

She could never trust their applause, or the exclamations that came from their lips at the end of this, her third and final performance. Eleni didn’t care; she was waiting for the moment she would never have to see them again.

Her eyes drifted up and to the right. There, high up in the royal box, sat the cause of this change. Erik Lensherr, the man who thought he was her father. He very well might be her father, and Eleni realized that. However, she found that possibility so detached from her own reality as to have no meaning there: it was completely irrelevant.

Eleni’s eyes moved to Travis, who was clapping wildly beside his uncle. The young man’s own eyes often shifted down towards the audience below. Down to where G was sitting, with Bright. Travis’ request to have them join his family in their box, which held only himself and his uncle, had been denied. This was the world they lived in, and Eleni knew it well. It was also the only world they had.

Matthew’s presence at her side, normally solid and reassuring, became infused with sadness and regret. Why had she told him the truth? All this chaos would have been avoided, and they could have spent their last days together in peace. She rejected her memory of being boxed in, of being exhausted, of being unable in the moment to come up with a half-truth that wouldn’t make Matthew suspicious. Having felt her emotional reaction, he had already known too much, a forgiving voice in the back of her mind tried to whisper, but she rejected that, too. What she would give to have the power to go back and unsay what she had said.

But that was impossible.

The applause beat at her ears, intangible waves crashing throughout the vast empty space. 

All of this was impossible.

For that reason, it would soon end.

Clinging to that thought, she pushed her sadness aside made her final bow.

**JAE**

Jae waited impatiently at the gate of the military complex. She was dressed in uniform, crisp and precise, and she stood tall. Then she realized she was shifting from one foot to another like a child.

Growling in frustration, she stilled herself and waited.

She didn’t wait for long.

“Jae.” Her brother’s greeting was short, but not unkind. She relaxed a bit. After everything that had happened recently, she hadn’t been sure where they stood.

She wasn’t even sure what she thought of it all.

“Mattie,” she returned the greeting. Then she tipped her head to the side. “This way.”

Matthew’s brow furrowed as they walked away, and not through, the gate.

“Is this some kind of joke?” he said suspiciously, and for a moment Jae wished it was. It would be a sign that things were repaired between them. It would feel so good to prank her dense brother again.

“This guy…he’s admin. The office are down here.” They continued on the narrow street, lined mostly with drab two-story buildings. There wasn’t even much embellishment here, the work that was done within was so underwhelming.

Jae glanced at her brother as they walked. Her feelings towards him remained mixed, though the revelations of the past week had seen them altered.

His girlfriend, the sewer rat, was the long-lost daughter of the Head.

A hidden princess.

Some were painting it out to be romantic, while others were less impressed. And it all hinged on when the blood test would be done.

Jae waited for that definitive answer as well, but the sinking feeling in her gut after seeing pictures of the girl and the Head side by side led her to strongly suspect it would only prove what at first blush was impossible. She was his daughter. 

And what would that mean? Would it mean that all this time, she and her peers had bullied, abused and demeaned the daughter of their leader? Would it mean that they had all been wrong to do so?

Would it mean her brother had been right?

Realizing that she was gritting her teeth, Jae decided to stop wasting valuable time.

“So, Mattie?”

“What is it, Jae?” his tone was tired, and bordered on irritated. Jae rephrased her next comment.

“This guy you’re going to see…he’s an administrator, right?” Would he get it?

“So?” Dense as always. Jae added what she knew, hoping it would also be seen as some sort of olive branch.

“Well, I heard he was pretty far up in rank a decade or so ago. Even possibly in the running for a future general. But he was demoted to colonel, and now he’s a paper-pusher.” Matthew sighed.

“So, they’re not taking me to the cream-of-the-crop, huh? No surprise there.” The last was muttered as if to himself. Jae dropped the topic, as he had gotten the point.

“How’s…um…how’s your, how’s she--?”

“Eleni?” came the pointed reply. She had never really paid attention when he said the name before, but now she noticed that he pronounced it differently from the way they said it on the news.

“Yeah. Eleni.” She emulated his pronunciation.

“She’s not so bad now, huh? Now that she’s probably the daughter of the head? Or Adam’s biological daughter?” Jae bristled at the sneering tone of his questions, and dropped the subject. She didn’t want to entertain the latter until there was proof. They were almost at their destination, anyway.

“Up here,” she said, indicating a building to their right that backed into the stone of the mountain wall. They entered, ascended one flight of stairs, and found themselves in a narrow hallway lined in faux wood paneling that had fallen out of style decades ago.

Jae counted down the numbered offices.

“This one.” She stopped them in front of a door, plain aside from the number painted on the frosted window. Jae moved to knock but stopped when Matthew grasped her arm.

“Do you know his name?” he asked.

“Garrett. Colonel Daniel Garrett.” Nodding, her brother released her. She knocked.

“Enter.”

The office was as plain and outdated as the hallway. There were some shelves with an assortment of awards and books, and framed diplomas on the wall. The desk, complete with a blotter, was tidy and the center occupied only by a book with a tan cover. The person in the high-backed chair was turned away, and their face was hidden.

“Sir. Cadet Summers, reporting. I’ve brought Matthew Summers as requested.”

The chair turned, and a relatively pale face with a fringe of grey hair became visible. An easy grin broke the man’s friendly visage.

“Ah, yes.” His eyes examined Matthew for a moment, widening with what looked like mild surprise. Jae found herself thinking snidely that the man must not read the tabloids. “Thank you, Cadet Summers. Your timeliness will be noted. You may go.”

She nodded, simultaneously tipping her stiff upper body forward as was protocol. Then with one last glance at her brother, she turned and left the room.

As she walked away from the doorway to room 22, she found herself gritting her teeth again, and resigned herself to the fact that it would take some time to mend fences with her brother. He hadn’t bothered to say good bye, or even turned to acknowledge her, as she had left the room.


	36. Chapter 35

**ELENI**

Eleni paced her room, anxious and irritated. Everything was ready: she was dressed in the dark flexible clothing she had selected; her backpack was full and waiting by the door, the final items lifted earlier this evening from the medical boxes in both Madam P’s house and the dance studio; and Madam P had just gone to bed. It was time to leave…but something was wrong. 

Today had been a quiet day; Erik Lensher had been caught up with council deliberations that involved her. She couldn’t care less what arbitrary decisions they made regarding her existence, and it had been a relief to be apart from this man who wanted to _know_ her so intently. The time had instead been spent with Madam P, talking, dancing, cooking and talking some more. A lovely morning had become a lovely afternoon and then evening as well. Eleni had cherished every moment.

The only downside to the day had been that her desire to see Matthew had gone unfulfilled. In the afternoon, he had messaged that he was going to see some friends. He must have taken a nap before that, as he had been blank for a while. She had taken a short nap herself, in part so she wouldn’t feel her disappointment. 

Shortly before dinner, Matthew messaged again to say he was still occupied, and while the message he had sent hadn’t indicated why, the fuzziness she sensed through the bond was explanation enough. She had barely been able to hold her tears in, not because he had gone out without her, but because she wouldn’t have another chance to see him. Madam P had noticed.

“It’s a lot, coming off a big performance. You gave all of yourself to the ballet, and it showed. But now it will take some adjustment to come back down to normal life,” the woman had tried to comfort her. She was right: Eleni had given everything she had to that performance. She had nothing left, and now found she had to make herself Strong to get through this last day, something she hadn’t done since her earliest days at the Montagne.

Lost in her bitter disappointment that she wouldn’t see Matthew again, she had closed herself to the bond. For that reason, she didn’t know when the emotions at the other end of the bond had clarified, or when they had become violent, but now it was a storm of resistance, horror, and despair. It was all coated in something that felt foreign, like nothing she’d ever felt from the bond before. She was scared. She wanted to do something.

But she also knew she had to leave.

_Matthew_. Her mind whispered. Balling up her fists, she cursed herself for becoming attached to the man, for falling in love with him. It had only led her to betraying him when he needed her most. She knew, however, that she had no choice.

_Eleni, you must never tell anyone. No one can know! If you reveal what you are, it will destroy the world._

Eleni squeezed her eyes shut against the words her mother had told her countless times. She knew them to be true. The woman hadn’t just scared her with these threats, she had sat her down and laid out the facts. And now her boyfriend, a telepath, was compromised in some way. She didn’t understand the situation, but the danger was clear. This time, she couldn’t let her heart stop her from what she knew she must do. She collected her bag, and left the room. 

Silently, she slipped down the stairs, then around and into the kitchen. However, as she veered towards the door to the dance school, she was stopped by another wave of guilt and despair. _Matthew. _What was happening to him? How could she just leave him? Turning away from the door, she found herself looking at a wall. The wall Erik Lensherr the XII had walked out of just three nights ago. Another idea took shape in her head.

She had considered taking the secret tunnel; her father had spoken of it briefly to her, though he had also said they wouldn’t use it for the time being. Nonetheless, he had instructed her to always stay left in order to reach the Lensher manor. He hadn’t told her where the other tunnels went. While using the tunnels seemed safer than her plan to sneak out the back door and through the adjoining gardens, her lack of knowledge about their destination had stopped her. 

Now, however, she reconsidered; given how the Montagne had been constructed, it seemed likely there would be a way out that she would be able to access. Further, using the tunnel promised an extra advantage: she could leave a message for her father informing him that something was happening to Matthew. The man had hinted to her his reservations regarding how Matthew had led his life, and had clearly had some kind of emotional investment there. _Powers like those attract attention simply through their existence_, he had said. Erik Lensherr would want to know. Would he act on her message? Eleni found she had no choice but to believe that he would.

Decided, she approached the wall. At the other end of the bond, things had gone quiet. She didn’t take that as a reassuring sign. 

Taking a deep breath to calm her concern and focus, she raised her hands.

**ERIK**

Erik was doing some late-night reading in the Lensher study when the alarm went off. Someone was attempting to access the house via the tunnels. By the time he got to the entrance, found in a hallway near the AV room, Bubble and Whiplash were already there.

“Sir, there is someone in the tunnel. It looks to be your daughter,” Whiplash immediately provided. Erik nodded, as his chest expanded at those last two words. The rational part of his mind pointed out that it could be a shapeshifter; Mirage hadn’t returned from their last assignment, and his enemies would stoop to using such means. The next statement from his body guard, however, drove these thoughts from his mind. “It looks like she’s unconscious.”

“What?” He strode the last few steps to the video screen displaying the tunnel entrance. Indeed, his daughter was prone on the floor. She twitched every few seconds.

“Open the door,” he commanded.

“But sir--”

“I will know immediately if it is not her. Open it.” His guards nodded, and did as he commanded.

He hadn’t been completely honest with the last statement; he couldn’t necessarily identify a person by their emotional signature. Wanda, he could, and Travis, and his guards. That was due to the long association and constant contact he had with them. He had been focusing much of his energy in his time with Eleni to familiarizing himself with her emotional state, but wasn’t confident that he could identify her as of yet: her norm of unfeeling was not only distressing to him, but it also hindered his ability to read her.

“Bring her to the couch,” he said once they had her in. She was indeed twitching every few seconds, but while she remained unresponsive, her eyes were wide open.

“She’s having a seizure, sir.” That was the best-case scenario.

When they reached the living room, they found Travis and Wanda had gotten up as well.

“I heard the alarm go off, Erik. I wish you hadn’t started--,” She cut off when she saw Eleni. Her eyes, wide with alarm, went to Erik. “They have him?” Erik almost cursed with irritation, and wished he hadn’t been forced to share that information with his sister, but he had needed her help at the time.

“Travis, go get the full shields. Whiplash, go with him and wait outside the rooms.” Erik himself already had his hat; he wore it from the moment he woke to the moment he went to bed. His bed was shielded.  
His nephew didn’t move.

“What do you mean, mom? ‘They have him.’” 

“Just get the shields, Travis. There’s one in my room, too, within the safe box. Here’s the code.” Wanda snapped. The boy obediently listened to the whispered words, and with the guard as his shadow, went to obey his mother. Bubble moved to the edge of the room.

Erik stared down at his daughter. Once, she moved her arm in his direction. Once her eyes met his own. Those were all good signs; his daughter had a strong mind, to hold off a telepathic attack for so long as she had.  
Travis returned with a single full shield. 

“Go get the other shields!” Erik snapped.

“They are gone,” cold settled over Erik and his eyes snapped to Wanda’s.

“We’re done,” she moaned. “Oh, why did I ever come back here?”

Erik’s eyes were on their two guards, and tipped up his hat. The reading would be dim but discernable.

“Whiplash, did you take the shields.” 

“No,” the woman responded, truthfully, but her partner was starting to move. Whiplash proved loyal, and threw an impulse to break Bubble’s attack sphere. Erik left Eleni’s side as the guard tried to flee, removing his hat and simultaneously extending his powers.

Bubble slowed, then stopped, and put their hand to their head as if they couldn’t recall what they had been doing.

“Erik, move away!” came his sister’s strangled cry, but he disregarded it. Stopping Bubble was essential. He shifted his mental pressure from disorientation to willingness.

“Bubble, did you take the shields?”

“Yes sir,” the true response came slowly; the disorientation left a person in a hazy state, but they were still themselves.

“Have you contacted anyone since my daughter arrived?” 

“No sir.” Erik breathed out a sigh, then pinpointed as well as he could and increased the emotional pressure, with a touch of viciousness at the person’s betrayal, until they passed out.

“Whiplash, bind them.” The other guard nodded and began on that work.

Returning to his daughter, Erik was dismayed to see there was no change and that his family had taken no action.

“Travis, put the full shield on her!” he snapped as he came close, furious that his sister hadn’t instructed the boy to do so already. Then he saw where the shield was.

“Put the shield on her!” he yelled at his sister.

“No!” the woman snapped. “I am a far more valuable target than that bastard whose parentage we don’t even know!”

Eric’s fury grew, and he would have lunged at his sister in order to remove the hat had it not been for Travis’ tear-filled plea.

“Please, Uncle, Mom, stop! Uncle, she seemed to come out of it slightly when you were manipulating Bubble, but then slid back in,” Travis reported. “She said…’Atrium’.”

Erik disregarded this as he stared down at his daughter and made a stupid decision. Reaching up, he again lifted his hat – while it was only a half-shield, it was enough to disrupt an attack. 

“Uncle, you shouldn’t…” Travis began.

“Hold up her head,” he instructed over the young man’s words. Travis did as he asked, and Erik slowly slipped the shield onto his daughter’s head. Slow, to ease the transition he was forcing upon her brain.

While he did this, Erik’s mind was racing. Where they could go to be safe? The Lensherr study was completely shielded, but it would leave them a pretty package for the military to find when they arrived. He similarly dismissed other ideas as quickly as they arose.

Once the shield was in place, Eleni sucked in a deep breath and shuddered as she reasserted control over her own body. Travis cradled her and spoke reassuring words. Erik couldn’t be so tender.

“Eleni,” he said, more forcefully than he intended. “What happened?”

She shook her head, her eyes terrified.

“Somethings wrong with Matthew,” was all she said, but it was all the confirmation Erik needed. Travis also began to understand.

“Summers? Someone has Summers? Someone has the telepath, and he’s---” the young man broke off, looking back at his cousin, horror dawning on his face.

“They’re controlling him somehow,” Eleni stated with conviction. “He was fighting for me. You have to stop whoever is doing this to him!” she declared her love clear in her defiance and her demand. 

Erik heart simmered with dismay, and not just at the young woman’s conviction. He knew all he needed to of Matthew Summers’ situation through the fact that they had enough control over him to force him to utilize his ability on others: no mind controlled to that extent, through telepathic means or other, had ever emerged intact.

But he couldn’t tell her that. Not now.

“Eleni, I will do what I c----"

\--------------------------

Erik blinked, wondering why he was on his back on the floor. His head hurt, and his thoughts stumbled. With some effort, he put together that he had hit it on the coffee table he could see just above him.

“Erik? Erik!” His sister was screaming in the background, but he could only focus on the blue eyes in the brown face looking down into his.

“Take me to the Atrium!” his daughter demanded. She repeated it several times, ignoring Travis’ entreaties to calm down and Wanda’s screams. Then, her eyes went distant and she collapsed upon him, once again beginning to seize. 

“Erik, let’s get to the pods!” Wanda hissed. Eric sat up, as Travis gently levered Eleni off of him and held her.

“And do what? Go to one of the _military_ strongholds?!” He had already thought of that.

“It was such a mistake coming back here! And you took down all my allies in the Black Arm. They wouldn’t even talk to me after that. If only you had left them alone, we wouldn’t be in this position!”

“Mom, you need to calm down!” Travis beseeched. “We need to figure this out, not rehash the past!”

The boy was right. Erik screened out his sister and his nephew, and stared at the prone, shuddering body in the young man’s arms. She wasn’t fully under the telepath’s controlled, yet.

“It’s hopeless, Travis!” came Wanda’s terse reply. “We wait here until they come for us, and hope your Uncle’s weak allies are smart enough to keep us from being murdered.”

Things were just about as bad as his sister predicted, but Eric had more faith in his allies than she did. Maybe, they could help him give his daughter her final wish.

“We’re going to the Atrium.” 

“What?"

“Erik you are crazy.” He had learned over the years to put forth a plausible explanation when he had none. His mind operated on automatic.

“They have us cornered here. If we move out, we can gather our supporters and make a stand.”

“Uncle, it would let them corner all of us.” 

“Here alone or there with allies. I have made my decision. We are going.” He took Eleni from Travis. Holding her in his arms, he started to move towards the door that led down to the garage. “Whiplash, come with me. Grab the guns from the stock room as we pass.”

“My lord,” the woman said in response, and Eric was glad for the power of loyalty. 

When he stopped to wait for the elevator, with Whiplash was at his side, he heard Travis and Wanda step up behind them. Eric found he didn’t really care; he just wanted to grant his daughter’s final wish.

The first part of their trip went smoothly. Eric used the time to instruct Wanda and Travis to alert their allies. Once all was silent save for the clicking of their message motes, Eric took a moment to think on the situation. He suspected that the people behind the telepathic attack didn’t realize where Eleni had gone. Mental attacks could break off unpredictably, especially given the way they were using the Telepath. They probably thought his daughter was still in bed. 

It was likely they were assuming that Eric was aware of something and on the move. He and his family only had a short time before they began encountering resistance.

His allies began arriving, starting with the Brown’s and the DaCosta’s, both of whom lived off the wide boulevard that led up to the Lensher Residence.

“To the Atrium! They have the Telepath!” he yelled as they peered into the vehicle.

A few minutes later, the Darkholmes were there.

“Erik, why the Atrium?” Yanella demanded.

“There is nowhere else to go, and we need to make a public stand in a defensible position,” he responded with the reasons he had cobbled together as they left the residence. “The Telepath has been compromised. We must get to the Atrium, no matter what barriers we encounter.”

The woman looked at him for a moment, then glanced down at his still seizing daughter. To his relief, she then nodded.

“I’ll spread the word as people arrive.” From that point on, she managed the communication with the other families and supporters, securing their aid in their trip to the Atrium.

About three quarters of the way there, they were met by the first strike team, which temporarily stopped their progress. It was a small team, with only four members, and Whiplash engaged them, sending a pulse that immediately disoriented two of them. The third member of the team returned with an energized item that hit Erik’s guard in the arm.

Eric felt the loss of Bubble, who could trap people within their energy sphere’s. Whiplash and her teammate had complimented each other well, one to disorient and one to incapacitate. Their ability to do so without causing any bodily harm to the assailant had proven useful on several occasions.

“Sir, I can help. Permission to disembark.” This came from Surefire, who had been stationed in the garage. He had proven loyal, while the driver had not, and was now filling that position.

“Please do, Surefire,” Eric replied. “Wanda can drive.” He ignored the growl from his sister, and the woman slipped into the front seat in spite of her irritation.

Even with Surefire, however, they were outnumbered and the strike team held their ground. Eric was holding off despair, when suddenly one of the four disappeared. The reason why became apparent when Greystone Darkholme appeared beside the car. Receiving a nod of affirmation from his liege, the man called for other battle-trained followers to engage, and several did. To Eric’s dismay, this included younger people as well.

“Wow, look at Ebb,” Travis murmured. Eric had already noted the young man’s classmate, who was teleporting rapidly and with great finesse in order to distract one member of the strike team so her father could remove them. Travis’ hand went to the door. 

“I can help, too. I’m going out there.”

“Travis, don’t be a fool. You can’t move away like they can, and your pyrotechnics aren’t strong enough to repulse anyone!” Wanda snapped. “Are you just going to stand there and let them kill you while you set off some sparklers?”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, mom,” the young man said bitterly in response to his mother’s comment. He snapped the handle and opened the door, and Eric’s own words of caution died on his lips, as he caught the note of purpose in his nephew’s tone. He didn’t stop the boy as Travis left the car.

“Be smart,” he called after, instead, and Travis nodded.

“You should be out there,” Wanda snapped as the door slammed shut, but Eric ignored her. He had been well trained on the offensive use of his powers, but in such close contact he was as likely to disable an ally instead of a foe. He was also the last line of defense for Eleni. Looking down on that warm weight in his arms, he knew he didn’t want to be anywhere else.

A glance outside the window told him their numbers had again increased. It only took a moment to identify the Smith’s. Eric glanced at Wanda in the rearview mirror, to find a satisfied look on her face. She had contacted people beyond the list Eric had indicated. Gritting his teeth, he accepted that there was nothing he could do about that now. No one from the newly arrived Loyalist family assisted in the fight, and instead simply flanked the foolhardy motorcade. 

Subtle movement told him the car was moving again. Out front Whiplash and Surefire led the procession at a jog, having brought down the strike team, but it was only moments before another appeared. An energy bullet from Surefire took down a woman who appeared on the road ahead of them, increasing in size with every step. Another strike team came with her, bigger this time. In addition to the giant, this team appeared to have two people with energy blasts, one with super strength, and one who could fly. The Darkholmes engaged the latter, while Jason DaCosta had frozen one of the blasters in a time-bubble. He was waiting for someone else to come along to dispatch the person when he released them. 

However, no one appeared to be available. Whiplash was repelling the blasts that came at her from the other blaster, while simultaneously trying to target the super-strength who was breaking through in spite of the many small annoyances Travis and Ebony were employing. The giant was recovering and would be back in action in a matter of moments. Eric found himself gritting his teeth, knowing that several of those who were holding back could turn the tide in the fight.

The car crept forward this time as Wanda’s anxiety made her move every time she thought was an opening. Then the super strength broke through and started to smash the hood. That was when Danyon Smith, a super-speed, came by as a blur, putting a well-placed bullet into the woman, who slumped forward. It was several more minutes before enough of the fighters were free to pull her off.

Finally, the last of the strike team members were eliminated. Eric was relieved to hear from Yanella that while there were injuries, they had sustained no losses. Again unencumbered, they shot forward as quickly as they could manage, but only made it 50 yards before the next strike team arrived. 

Jason DaCosta took advantage of the fact they were stopped again, to knock at his window. Opening it a crack, the man spoke with no preamble.

“One third.” 

“The military,” Eric responded, and Jason’s nod confirmed what he had also calculated. He could count on about one third of the military forces staying loyal to him. The rest, disappointed by his performance as their leader, and having the viable alternative in Tracy, were likely to follow the treasonous orders of their superiors. There were plenty in the upper echelons of the military hierarchy who disliked him, and he could name several who would act to take him out if an opportunity appeared. As it just had.

“How long until they mobilize the infantry?” he asked his military expert.

“About 45 minutes to an hour. We should be safely in the Atrium by then.” Jason looked at him sideways. “My lord, why the Atrium?” he echoed Yanella’s question from earlier.

“Talk to Baron Darkholme,” was all Eric said before thanking the man for his input and raising the window

Eric prayed that Jason was right, and they would reach the Atrium before the troops arrived. While the strike teams were more powerful per individual, the sheer volume of the infantry promised to overwhelm them.

The tide of the current battle flowed against them, until two of the strike team members were taken down from behind. More supporters had arrived. Gripping his daughter in his arms, Erik merely gave his subject’s grim smiles as the Grey’s and the Morii’s joined their ranks. Slowly they moved forward, and slowly their numbers grew.

**G**

“Hey, Huli, are you getting these messages about the Grey Arms?” 

G was sitting at the station waiting for the next train heading DownMountain to arrive. In spite of the late hour, he had gotten three messages about the DownMountain policing force acting strangely.

“Yeah. Whatever. It’s probably nothing.” G grunted, he was about to put down the mote, when another message appeared. This time from Travis.

Hulio saw the name, and sighed in frustration. “G, when are you going to make that relationship work for you? You could get so much out of him.”

“That’s not how I do things…” G’s voice trailed off as the full message flashed across the tiny screen.

_DISASTER. IF UPMOUNTAIN, COME TO THE ATRIUM._

It was followed by another message from the DownMountain.

_GREYARMS ON TRAIN. GOING UPMOUNTAIN. _

There were no trains going UpMountain at this time of night and the Grey Arm presence was always kept at full strength in the DownMountain. 

Whatever was happening was more than a disaster. It was an opportunity. 

G got to his feet.

“Come on, Hulio. We’re going to the Atrium. Something’s up.” Speaking over his friend’s objections, he hauled the man to his feet and started moving. “We don’t want to be at the station when those Greyarms arrive.”  
Impressing his opinion upon his friend as they walked, he simultaneously typed and sent the same message over and over as fast as he could to any person he knew DownMountain who had a message mote:

_GO TO THE AIRLOCKS_

**ERIK**

“We’re here,” came Wanda’s clipped comment, though Eric could clearly see the wide, triangular opening of the Atrium just ahead. He sighed in relief, as he opened the door to disembark. The final segment of their journey had been surprisingly clear.

“Erik, quick!” Yanella snapped. “The only reason we got here and have this opening is because they never anticipated us going this direction. They are quickly remedying that situation, and probably calling in  
reinforcements.”

Eric nodded, and, cradling his daughter in his arms, he strode into the arc his ancestor had created, hoping it would be the saving grace the man had intended.

“We need you, Erik,” Yanella continued tersely from his side. “You can take down whole strike teams and large segments of infantry, provided they are unshielded. And the military can only shield a small number.”

Erik had to admit she was stating facts.

“Yanella, make sure every entrance is covered. I’ll be at the south-east one in five minutes. We hold the entrances,” Yanella nodded. “Message me if any of them are lost. In that case, we will back to one of the covered gardens. Also, have any children sent to me in the interior, and I’ll need Ebony to lead them,” he added.

Yanella nodded, and he thought he saw a flash of relief cross her face as she started to call out commands. Erik strode away through the glassed-in garden, with one final yell.

“Travis! Wanda! Come with me!” his sister, who had been speaking with a group that included the Smith’s, obeyed with a glare.

Erik was laser focused on one destination, and was glad when he met no interference on his way to the Throne.

Stepping up the dias, he placed his daughter upon the broad seat, resting her head on one arm and draping her feet on the other. He gazed at her before turning away.

Facing the crowd of young people who had followed him, he attempted to alleviate their worries by telling them that his plan had been successful. His absence of confidence in that statement didn’t matter, for confidence didn’t matter now: action did. It was all they had left.

“Remain here, for this is the safest place. Look to Ebony Darkholme for guidance. Ebony, keep in touch with your mother. Move as she instructs you.” The young woman nodded. “Finally, my daughter is under an attack, and not to be touched, unless you need to move location. In that case, take her with you.” 

He glanced back once more. Eleni’s state hadn’t changed, and Erik didn’t know whether to be worried or relieved that the process of taking over her mind was so prolonged. So far as he knew, it normally only took a matter of minutes. Inadvertently, he found himself wondering if there was any possibility that his daughter could come out of this with her mind intact.

To his horror, he felt his face collapse in tears for what he had almost grasped, but was now watching slip violently away. Screwing his eyes closed, he grappled for control. A moment later, he descended the dias, his face as if it were made of stone.

Angling towards the south-east as he left his daughter and the children behind, he called his sister to his side and told her the plan. 

“I won’t remove the shield until we are close. You know my range when I am pinpointing, stay behind me and just outside of it, and obscure as much as you can from there. If I fall under another telepathic attack, return the shield to me.”

“Sure,” came to shaking response. Erik had no idea if he could trust it, but he also had no choice.

“Obscure as we approach as well.”

They arrived at the south-east entrance to find 3 strike teams setting up a base there, covering the span of the entryway. Eric deduced that they had decided to block them into the Atrium. This entry was the closest to the military complex, and it was the first place the infantry would reach. They were no doubt sending teams to the other 5 entrances to create similar blockades.

“Message Yanella about what we see here,” he ordered his sister, after filling her in on his conclusions.

Then, he removed the shield, handing it to Wanda who then dropped back and to the side. Focusing forward as the teams started to react to his approach, he reached deep inside him, and blanketed them all with his deepest despair, immobilizing the 15 or so individuals. From the corner of his eye, he saw a distortion aimed at the one who was shielded and not affected by his attack. Then a shot fired, telling him Wanda had pulled out her gun. It took the shielded individual in the arm. To Erik’s relief, a second shot rang out from a different direction, this time taking the shielded strike team member down. Back up had arrived.

Switching his emotional focus to fear, Eric began evicting the remaining strike team members from the Atrium. 

**ELENI**

Eleni was trapped inside her own body. Her relationship to the outside world was as if she was seeing it through thick, warped glass; she had only bare scraps of information that allowed her to understand what was happening. Flashes of her father, Travis and the woman who was her aunt, as well as strangers popped in and out of her vision. She knew they were fleeing. She thought they were going to the Atrium, but she couldn’t be sure and she was unable to try to learn more, because inside of her, a war raged. 

There, Matthew stood between her sentience and the force of his own mind. He was maintaining a protective shield, and she sensed that all of the energy he had, however he was accessing it, was going into that effort. She had ceased her attempts to move as they had caused a sense of panic from Matthew, and she had interpreted that as an indication it made it harder for him to fight. 

Instead, she was putting her energy into what she hoped was helping. She was constantly thinking _outward_, pushing away, willing the rigidity of her mind towards Matthew. A sense of gratitude that had flashed between the waves of horror and determination emanating from him kept her committed to these efforts. Eleni tried as hard as she could to keep her own terror at bay, lest she upset the delicate balance of this violent suspended state.

A breath of air, scented with plants, reached her from the outside. Through the warped wall of her prison, she saw that she was at the Atrium. She felt a wave of pitiful relief to be in its green embrace once again.  
Then she focused, and blessed the-man-who-would-be-her-father. He had taken her to the perfect place. 

The Throne. 

The Throne that had called to her since that first walk through the enclosed garden with Madam P. How many hours had she spent dreaming what it would be like to sit upon it? And now she was there. Now she could feel all that lay beneath her.

Daring to access her eyes further, she found them staring straight up, to the pinnacle of the glass atrium. There, six downward pointing triangular metal panels were fused together, a small inverse of the Atriums’ massive shape. Unobtrusive and heretofore unnoticed. Save for her, for she had long known that the small chamber had a hidden treasure, and now she knew what it was and what it meant for her.

Slowly, she lessened her efforts to bolster Matthew’s shield. She felt Matthew continue to fight for her, fighting against his own mind, controlled by an enemy she didn’t know. He didn’t seem to notice the change. Relieved, she extended her sole tendril of autonomy, shrouded in secret as it had always been, upward, to the one thing that would make a difference.

High above, metal panels parted, like the petals of a flower opening. The object within emerged, and began slowly descending to the Throne below, guided by Eleni’s secret. Eleni, rigid from the telepathic attack, watched it but did not think about what it was or what she was doing. As the object came close, however, she inadvertently felt a spark of painful relief, as if she had finally found something she had desperately sought.

**MATTHEW**

Matthew mentally gritted his teeth as he felt Eleni pull back. Her support was welcome, and he wished he dared communicate that to her telepathically. His fear that such a connection would be used to destroy her held him back.

He didn’t know how long he had been fighting his own mind to protect Eleni’s. He only knew that he would keep going until his body passed out, because then they wouldn’t be able to use him. The bits of information on telepathy he had picked up over the past year were useful in this way, though none had helped him free himself, or explain how these people had been able to take over his mind. Prior to this heinous experience, had someone suggested to him that it was possible, through technology and conditioning, to control a telepath, he would have laughed. But his captors had proven they could, and further they had already had him subdued one mind, which now lay somewhere, broken and ready to be reprogrammed. 

Yet, somehow, he was able to prevent the same from happening to Eleni. He had discovered some sort of mental foothold, and it was secure. While they battered at him, and tried new neural pathways, he had been able to rebuff all the commands and was confident he could continue to do so. Further, when Eleni lent her support from behind, it alleviated the pressure and bolstered his confidence that they would prevail; her warm mental presence was a reminder that she was there, that she was ok, and that he was succeeding. So, Matthew waited impatiently, and desperately, for her to lean into him again.

_Sir, we’ve got an opening in the right frontal lobe._  
_Take it! He should not be able to resist!_

The command echoed distantly down to Matthew, and he involuntarily seized up. The man who barked the reply, Colonel Garrett, though called General in this company, was the mastermind behind his torture: Matthew had been incapacitated at the mere sight of the man’s face. Conditioning he had never known he had had made it easy for them to capture and drug him. When he had been woken by a throbbing at the base of his skull, he had been stripped down to his underwear and strapped to a table. Surgery only just finished, they had immediately started using him. Garrett’s voice, laced with excitement that was perverse, had led his team through every step. It had, and continued to, infuse fear throughout Matthew.

Desperately shaking off his reaction, Matthew braced himself for a new onslaught. 

While he didn’t actively listen, it was impossible to shut the voices around him out. So, random bits of information about what had been intended to be a silent coup, constantly intruded on his consciousness. He knew, for instance, that they had intended to use Eleni to get close to the Head and attack the man at a time he was alone and without his shield. He knew that Tracy Lensherr had apparently failed at some task she had been given, and had been detained and sent to someone called Stryker for a procedure she had been requesting. He knew that Eleni’s presence at the Lensherr residence had been wholly unexpected and a source of consternation. He knew that Grey Arms had been called to the UpMountain, strike teams had been mobilized and that the slower moving infantry had been activated. 

The strangest of all had been an exclamation that came just minutes earlier:

_Sir, there is a report from the DownMountain! Something’s happening down there. People are panicking, and are fleeing into the airlocks!_  
_Then the idiots will be there when we go to round them up and put them back to work! Don’t bother me with stupidity!_

Matthew didn’t have time for the anxiety that piece of information triggered. He wished G hadn’t encouraged that stupid myth, for now innocent denizens of the DownMountain would be punished for their faith in him.

The only positive in all of it was that the flow of the battle seemed to be going against the people controlling him. That meant they would soon be stopped, and he would be freed from this hell in which he was imprisoned.

A hand ran across his bare torso, another facet of his torture, and Matthew again seized up. 

The attack came, and Matthew flailed at first, but was able to fend it off without losing any ground. Settling back to wait for the next, he felt a flash of relief ‘behind’ him. It stood out in such sharp contrast to the horror he was experiencing that he ‘looked’ back. What he saw through Eleni’s eyes, distorted but discernable, froze him to his core. 

_Don’t leave me! _

Panicking, he reached out and took control of her mind, preventing her from proceeding in what she had intended. 

In the next moment, he knew he had made a terrible mistake: he had done exactly what they wanted him to do. They knew it, too. He felt the attack change, and shift all its focus to eliminating the small remnant of himself that fought to exist.

**G**

G stumbled through the panic and disorder of the Atrium. He and Hulio had barely made it in; they had happened to arrive at the same time as another group, apparently some sort of ‘allies’ in this disaster. This split the attentions of those working as gatekeepers, and G’s sincerely made comment that Grey Arms were only minutes behind them had tipped the balance towards chaos. No one had stopped them when they slipped inside.

Within the sanctuary, people were uniformly panicked. The smart ones were huddled on the green islands of the Atrium, attempting to stay calm and alert, though fear was clear on every face. As they approached the center of the enclosed garden, G recognized Ebony Darkholme on one such island. She was monitoring a cluster of children and teenagers. The large man grabbed Hulio and fought his way in their direction.

When he drew near, however, the Throne came into view and G stopped. Several people were kneeling in front of it, trapped in either in agony or ecstasy. As G followed their gaze to the seat of the Throne, his stomach fell out.

_“Elle!” _

She appeared to be dead, strewn as she was over the wide seat. Then she twitched, and G nearly jumped out of her skin.

“G, this is really bad…” Hulio muttered beside him, and G kept his sarcastic retort to himself. Staring at Eleni, his mind tried to deny what he was starting to suspect. 

_Oh, Mattie. No._

“What is that?” 

Hulio’s question drew G eyes to an item floating a foot in front of Eleni. When G realized what it was, his stomach suddenly reappeared and he was nearly sick.

Remembering his mythology, he said a desperate prayer to a man he had hated his entire life, and approached and ascended the dias. Wrenching the scarf from Eleni’s head, he paused, momentarily bemused by the cap of tight grey curls that were revealed: they seemed to shimmer with an almost metallic sheen. Then he grasped the Helm of Magneto and wrestled it onto her head.

**MATTHEW**

Matthew snapped back into his own body like an elastic that had been pulled to the limit and then released to rebound back to a fixed spot. He felt nauseous, disoriented and dazed, but one thought still burned in his mind. In that last minute before Eleni had been cut off from him, he had understood what she was. And what she was about to do.

“_ELENI!_” He screamed, his body arching against the cushions and restraints that held him in place. Something sharp entered his arm. He continued to fight, but within seconds his body stopped responding and his mind became fuzzy. 

“Don’t leave me!” was all he was able to whisper before the drug took control and he passed out.

**G**

G watched as Eleni’s body convulsed, then stilled. He reached out and grasped her by her arms.

“Elle!” She drew in a gasping breath. Then another. Then she pushed G’s arms off of her as she sat up, her hands grasping for the front of the wide arms of the metal chair. 

“Hold on,” was all she said as she rested her fingers in twin dips found at the ends of the arms. Then they started to rise.

**ERIK**

The Head was wearying. Using his ability at this level for a sustained period of time sapped his energy, as well as his own mental acuity. In order to press emotions on others, he had to feel them as well. Part of him now longed to sink into depression and be freed from all the responsibilities he had never wanted. Why was he fighting? Why didn’t he just go back to his daughter, the one person here who he longed to be near, and protect her? Up until now, his resolve to defend the entire Atrium and all the people within had held him back.

That resolve was nearly gone.

Thankfully, their back up had increased, and slowly the pressure was lessening. Travis had also shown up, against the will of his mother and uncle, and was wielding his meager pyrotechnics. Erik tried to take inspiration from his nephew, though a voice at the back of his mind chastised him for raising the boy to be so optimistic.

The balance of fighting suddenly shifted as several of the military strike team members stumbled back, staring up towards the center of the Atrium. Travis glanced to see what had distracted them.

“By the Helm!” he cried out, a strangled and desperate sound.

Eric subdued the stricken fighters, then spared a glance behind him as his nephew exclaimed again.

“That is no effing language ability!” the cry had an indignant edge in its incredulous tone. Erik’s own mind quickly moved beyond incredulity, to reach to the logical, and stunning, conclusion.

“No,” he said, connecting secrets that only he knew. “It’s magnetism. And this place was built for her.”

As his nephew took that statement in, a hideous grating sound started behind them. Eric whipped around to see that the massive triangular panel found above the entrances was descending. Soon the south-east entrance would be sealed. Sounds echoing throughout the space suggested the same was happening to the remaining 5 entrances.

“My lord, what is happening?” his supporters called as Erik began to stride towards the center of the Atrium, calling back that the others should subdue any troops that weren’t shut out by the door.

“We will learn His plan for us!” he responded, for once willingly parroting a Cultist line. In truth, he had no idea what was about to happen, and he didn’t really care. He just wanted to be with his daughter.

**EBONY**

“Ebby, what’s happening?”

Ebony, holding her youngest sister tight, stared, dumbfounded, as the sewer rat elevated the Throne._ The Swan rising…_

Her sister’s repeated pleading finally broke through the trance.

“We’re fleeing, Opal,” she replied numbly, hating the fact. Why had her parents gone with their ineffectual Head? She couldn’t imagine a worst position for them to be in. They had left everything behind for…what?  
Her eyes fixed on her classmate again, and her stomach felt ill. For disaster.

“No, not that. How is she doing that?”  
Reluctantly, Ebony responded.

“She’s a magentist.” _**The** Magentist…_

“But I thought she was a _sans_.”

“She lied to us.” And she had been right in front of Ebony this whole time. And now their fate was in her hands.

“Then…she’s here to save us?”

At that question, Ebony stayed silent. She didn’t know the answer. She did know that it could go either way. Eleni Jones, upon whom they had layered disgust and abuse, could be their savior or their crucifier. This woman who had walked as though she were a queen when everyone called her filth, this woman who had acted as if none of them mattered to her at all, because none of them had.

For a Magnetist walked the world again. 

And she had the power to destroy them all.

**ELENI**

Eleni reveled in her powers. She had promised her mother she would never use them, but that had been a lie. She didn’t think she would have been able to stop herself, even if she had tried. Nonetheless, she had kept her activities small, doing things people would never notice. Bending back the edges of supposedly non-magnetic metal fences as she walked by, disintegrating rusting pieces of iron nail that had inevitably found their way into the Citadel building materials, weaving metal threads into her clothing so that she always had some of the precious material nearby. 

However, this was the first time she had used them on such a large scale, and as she let her ability flow unchecked her only thought was that it felt beautifully right. Gone was the need to hide what she was, and so she embraced it.

The Atrium had been made by a magnetist, for a magnetist, and from the first moment she had stepped foot in it she had started learning its every line, its every function. Over the months, it had come together for her, a giant puzzle she had sounded out section by section. She could use her magnetism as a sort of sonar, and through that determined the shape of what was hidden within the indoor garden. Then, gentle magnetic pushes had revealed how the parts interacted. It wasn’t until a couple of days ago at the Lensherr residence, however, that the significance of last critical detail had been revealed: the nature of the shape hidden at the top of the structure. Tonight, that final, and terrible, piece of the puzzle had snapped into place.

Now, her mind finally safe, the structure closed and secured, she focused on what she had to do: to leave this place and the danger it presented. The electromagnetic generator spun to life, and she used the resulting energy to enhance her own downward magnetic push. With a slight lurch, the structure lifted.

Below her, people screamed, but she ignored them. She couldn’t help that they were caught up in this desperate flight, as she tried to save the world from herself. She thought maybe she was bringing them to safety, but found that she didn’t really care. She focused on the aircraft that was literally at her fingertips, and prepared to fly.

The craft lurched again, and Eleni sensed that a part of the base had dropped away. She didn’t have the time or wherewithal to determine what sort of damage had been done. The craft still flew, and that was all that mattered. She righted it, and pushed it higher, so that she would be able to clear the mountain peaks.

A powerful wind buffeted the craft. At first she thought it was the weather, but when the wind suddenly came from another direction, she understood. They were trying to stop her. A few loud crashes sounded outside the Atrium windows, and she felt the vibrations of the explosion through the entire structure. They were powerful, and as the wind struck again, she found herself pushing the limits of her power in an attempt to keep her momentum. 

“Elle. Eleni.” The tremulous voice sounded beside her, and she looked over in surprise. She had forgotten about G. Seeing his face, however, snapped her back to reality, and reminded her of what she was running from. And who she was leaving behind.

Her control wavered, and the Atrium tipped slightly. The wind overcame, and the craft was pushed back and down. 

She could do it, she told herself. She had left Dave. But…she had left him to his golden life, knowing he would be fine in that cocoon of wealth and privilege. 

Now, she was leaving Matthew in the hands of a threat her mother had warned her about for so long as she could remember. A threat that, if it got a hold of her, would destroy the world.

She stared at G and felt tears press against her eyes. One word escaped her lips.

“Matthew.”

**G**

G looked at the young woman who he loved like a sister, and his heart ached.

Based on what he had gleaned from this terrible situation, things didn’t look good for their friend, but G didn’t share that. He didn’t dare tell her he believed, from the stories he had heard about mind control, telepathic or otherwise, that the man they had known no longer existed. In this moment, he didn’t think she’d be able to understand that there was nothing else they could do. 

Anyway, even if he had had faith that Matthew could survive, G didn’t see any way they could save the man. G did know that they were past the point of no return. There were no safe options for them at the Montagne anymore. They had to leave.

At the least, he could help her with that.

Shifting carefully, he maneuvered so he stood in front of her. He grinned grimly. 

“I don’t know, Elle, but I do know this. These bastards never got it, though it right was under their noses the whole time.” He leaned forward and placed his large hands on her slender ones. Looking her in the eye, he said purposefully, “I _am_ Gestalt.”

**ELENI**

Eleni’s worries were eviscerated as power, manifold her own awesome capacity, flowed into her. A part of her mind screamed that she wouldn’t survive, but the rest of her bathed in the rush and used it instinctively. She braced the craft against the discarded metallic base far below, stabilizing it, and prepared for speed. 

Grim pleasure bloomed in her as her sonar expanded and she picked up small pieces of metal moving about outside.

“G,” she whispered, thrilled, “they use metal in their military uniforms.” She had no idea of the man’s reaction, for she was already pushing outward. Her fierce magnetic pulse scattered the bits of metal, and the explosive attacks dropped off. Now only the wind remained.

Tapping into the energy from G, she spun the generator to full force. Then she thrust _down_, she pushing the vessel up beyond the wall of wind. Once past, the giant aircraft effortlessly flew from the mountain home it had graced for a millennium. Within moments, it was beyond the reach of the military and on its way. To nowhere.

**THE REMNANTS (same day)**

The man raced through stone corridors, red lights flashing off the dark skin of his bald head. He was in the Hive, and everyone within knew things were happening. Somewhere.

Entering one of the most secure rooms, he glanced at the large, scaled man standing to the left. For a moment their eyes met. Then the man smiled. 

“It’s time,” he said, his voice a low growl. The bald man was unable to return the greeting. He didn’t have the facts yet. “We have 6 authorizations, we need three more.”

“Visual coming online, now!” It became evident that one of the teleporters had risked proximity to their greatest threat, as the peaks of the Montagne came into view on the screen. What the man saw there took his breath away.

A massive craft was lifting out of the center of the mountain kingdom. It looked to be a part of the UpMountain, but his mind dismissed that useless piece of information. All they needed to know was that a major disturbance was occurring within the Montagne, and that was now confirmed. Hope flooded his heart, and he agreed with his colleague. It was time.

Approaching a control panel, he calmly but quickly entered in a code that only he knew. Another colleague joined him and did the same. Then a third. The other two then looked to him and nodded. They had unlocked the process. He would be the one to initiate it. 

Flipping back the now unlocked cover to reveal a red button, he slammed his hand down onto it, and spoke into the dedicated channels that that been opened. Joy, hatred, revenge and justice warred in the heart of Charles Xavier as he gave the command he had longed to for the past 13 years.

_“GO TO THE AIRLOCKS!_” He repeated it several times, then pulled his hand back, releasing the button. He whispered to himself, tears in his eyes. 

“We’re bringing them home.”


	37. Epilogue

**THE REMNANTS 3021.04.24**

**DAVE**

Dave woke up to a sharp pain in his right side. He shifted to see what was wrong, but that just woke more pain in him and he quickly gave up on the effort.

“Hello?” he tried to call out, only to find that also caused him pain. For that matter, so did breathing. What had happened to him? His mind groggily sifted through his memories while he took in his surroundings.  
He was in some sort of hospital room, though the stone walls were like no hospital he had ever seen before. The equipment was different, too, he saw. And he couldn’t read the writing.

“You are safe,” an accented voice suddenly said over an intercom. “We have operated on your wounds to save your life. Currently, you are in quarantine.”

“What? Where am I?” He spoke through the pain going so far as to lift his head. “Why am I hurt?”

“You were shot.” What? He didn’t remember that. The last thing he remembered was…the rally. Standing up before the crowd. He let his head sink back into the pillow. Sanida had been right.

“Are you in pain?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“Someone is coming into help you. Don’t try to get up, or move much. Your wound is healing well, but is still delicate.”

“How long…?” Dave managed. The reality of his situation was slowly sinking in, and the disbelief was numbing. He had been shot. He had been caught in front of a rally for mutant amnesty. He could be tried for treason. He must be in some kind of prison.

“You have been here for three days.”

A figure clad from head to toe in a white and grey suit entered the room. Dave was glad to have someone near him so he could speak more softly.

“Where am I?” he whispered. The figure shook their head. A female face was visible through the clear plastic visor. A female face with acid green eyes and bright purple hair.

“Sorry,” she said, followed by words Dave didn’t understand.

“You are no longer in the Citadel,” the voice through the intercom said.

“What?” he yelled it, as much as he could, and was rewarded with pain. The woman in the room placed soothing but firm hands on his shoulders.

“No move,” she said, concern in her eyes.

“Where am I?”

“You are with the Remnants. You cannot return to the Citadel.” The second statement made him immediately forget the first. 

“But what about my parents?” His studies. His mission! “I have to go back! Send me back!” Now he ignored the pain, and the efforts of the woman to calm him. She finally gave up, and busied herself with his IV. He saw her inject something into the line.

“I’m sorry, but they believe you are dead there. And for the safety of our population, we cannot let you return.”

As these words sank in, along with whatever the woman had given him, Dave hit bottom. His head dropped back in defeat. 

What had it all been for? All his passion? All his focus? All he had learned? Nothing.

He should have listened to Sanida. Now, there would be no mutant amnesty. There would be no petition before the Senate, and not even one life would be changed, much less the world. It had all been for noting.

The drug started working, sending him into dullness. His brain nonetheless dwelled on everything he had failed to do. As tears leaked out from his eyes, the despair distilled down into one thought:

Eleni was dead.

**FROM THE AUTHOR:**

_The next book in this series, The Firebird Reborn, is started, but I want to get ahead before I start posting chapters, so that I can hopefully stick to adding new chapters on a regular basis. My target date to start posting The Firebird Reborn is April/May of next spring (2021). It will be posted under the name "Xennial"._

_ Also, I have been revising and re-posting The Swan Rising as a separate work, that it is not restricted to AO3 members as this one is. That more final version of the story is posted under the name Xennial, and is linked to the series “The Legacy Quartet”. All future postings will be done under the name Xennial._


End file.
